


No Free Lunch

by Karel_Stein_Adler



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2019-10-06 18:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 51,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17350427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karel_Stein_Adler/pseuds/Karel_Stein_Adler
Summary: What could happen after S3E01-Chameleon?Here is one potential story...AU, where (some of) protagonists do (sometimes) also use their ‘little grey cells’…





	1. Chapter 1

No free lunch  


Karel_Stein_Adler  


  


Summary:  


What could happen after S3E01-Chameleon?  
Here is one potential story...  
AU, where (some of) protagonists do (sometimes) also use their ‘little grey cells’…  


  


“I’m tired to death!”  


Ladybug looked on Chat Noir with exhaustion written in uncovered part of her face. When his enhanced akumas like Chameleon, or more correctly Lila Rossi, as well as frontal attack of his akumatized army failed, Hawk-Moth changed his strategy into attrition warfare. He stopped with extra-hyper-super-active akumas, he used rather several attacks per one night. His ‘new’ akumas were chaotically active throughout the whole City. They were not really evil people, rather exhibitionists in need to bother their neighborhood with trivial personal petty quarrels and insignificant troubles. Parisians forgot their one (and only) surge of courage during Heroes’ Day and became into their normal Frenchmening, being not helping, but always complaining, that saviors were late…  


Chat Noir nodded. When he started with this superhero business, it was amazing, but now it was exhausting and stultifying routine…  


They ceased patrolling, as they needed at least little rest, just not to die from exhaustion. Chat Noir was often ‘unavailable’. When he offered to Ladybug revelation of his identity “So you could agree with my assistant on schedule,” she was unsure, whether is he joking with his usual puns or not. But she decisively denied to do so…  


In best Daladier – Laval tradition the level of Akuma Terrorist Alert was raised to ‘RUN AND HIDE’. Chat Noir was pretty sure, soon it will be ‘SURRENDER AND COLLABORATE’. Parisians, did in fact their best to approve Mark Twain’s quotes about France and Frenchmen. (France has neither winter nor summer nor morals - apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country. France is miserable, because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable, because they live in France. France has usually been governed by prostitutes.)  


During rare moment, when Chat Noir spent time as his civil personage Adrien Agreste together with his father and also with his father’s assistant Nathalie, watching TV news. After hearing Mayor André Bourgeois’s blathering, he thought in disbelief:  
“How such impossible lame incompetent moron could only happen to be Mayor of Paris?”  


That he told it aloud he found thanks to Nathalie’s raised left eyebrow and to his big surprise his father answered him:  


“He has money to rent spin-doctors, Adrien. Well, he’s stupid snotty, but his opponent in last votes, D'Argencourt? Armand is competent as fencing instructor and school gym teacher. But he’s also megalomaniac sociopath. André runs top-class hotel here in Paris, by the way. Once you prove similar ability, feel free to criticize him.”  


Gabriel Agreste was in quite talkative mood that evening.  


“André is in fact unhappy man. His wife is mean evil harpy even not being akumatized. His daughter is nothing but a spoiled brat.”  


“That’s unfair, dad!” said Adrien. “Chloé is not that bad. Now as Queen Bee…”  


“Well, yes, she improved herself, a little bit,” nodded Gabriel, showing 2 – 3 mm gap between his thumb and pointing finger. “But she’d need to serve at least ten years as Queen Bee day by day to redeem her mistakes. I know, you considered her as your friend, but if you in future decide to marry her, I’d need to make some measures to eliminate risk, that you two destroy our brand.”  


“Don’t worry, father,” Adrien smirked. “It’s not in my plans to marry Chloé any day.”  


“That’s good,” Gabriel smirked back. “I recommended André to change his hotel into trust fund after his death, so his wife and his daughter would obtain only annuity for easy life, but they both should not interfere into hotel work organization.”  


Father gave Adrien look explaining, that same way the Gabriel Brand would be changed, if Adrien nevertheless decide to marry Chloé in future.  


“Speaking of girls, Adrien, there is also Lila Rossi. She spreads rumors about dating with you. I really hope, it’s nothing but a rumor.”  


“Sure father, I’m not a foolish.”  


“Right, she’s probably mentally ill, I guess either case of Pseudologia Phantastica or Narcissistic disorder. Be careful, she could be even really dangerous.”  


“OK, I’ll take care.”  


“Please, this girl you‘d better never marry. It would be disaster for you and for our brand too and you’d need to do DNA paternity tests of each one potential child. Dating with Kagami Tsurugi I appreciate better, there is another problem, ant that problem is you.”  


“What do you mean?”  


“She’s from Japanese old noble family. You are nothing more, than Gaijin, non-japan foreigner. After marriage with you, her status in Japan would get abased, you’d be in their eyes just only handsome stranger, who seduced their noble woman. In long time perspective it would probably not work fine. What’s funny, there is girl in your class, who would be probably ideal for you and in fact for our business too.”  


“Whom?” asked Adrien being confused.  


“Marinette,” answered Gabriel. “She’s talented, contrary to you, by the way. I’m thinking about sending Nathalie with contract offer.”  


“Contract offer?”  


“Yes, are you deaf or uncomprehending? She’s talented designer, so I do NOT let headhunt her to our business rivals. If you finally grow wiser and marry her, I’d know, our brand will be in competent hands.”  


Well, that was really surprise for Adrien. He had no idea, his father observes his activities concerning girls.  


“Well, father, that’s interesting idea. But in fact I have no time to ask any girl out.”  


“Adrien, you need to learn several important lessons. First of them is, there is no free lunch in the world. I tested you, whether you are able to learn enough in public school and whether you are determined to reach your goals. Show me your ability and responsibility and I’ll allow you more free time to arrange some dating. Second lecture is forbearance. Means, that you stay in patience, when trying to do something, not giving up untimely, not loosing temper without good reason. As I told you, Audrey Burgeois is harpy, but you MUST NEVER tell that to anybody other, than we three here. You will meet her quite often and she could ruin our reputation, so be really, really careful. And you will have to learn something about business management. Nathalie agreed tutoring you in it. So, do you have your school homework finished?”  


“Yes, I do.”  


“Good. So now you can arrange with Nathalie your schedule.”  


After that his father left dining room and Nathalie allowed herself small smile:  


“Don’t worry Adrien, It will not be THAT horrible.”  


Adrien thought, that Ladybug was possibly right with her suspicion of his father. He is coldblooded manipulator and his disdain to people Adrien always considered as his father’s friend, was almost palpable. That is really NOT good…  


XXXXXXX  


Hawkmoth was in his lair satisfied. His new tactics seems to work. He sent big groups of preprogrammed akumas to snoop around whole Paris, searching for evil emotions enough to ‘charge’ themselves on their own way. Some of them were probably eaten by birds, but supply of akumas was practically unlimited. Thanks to social interactions between cretins and imbeciles typical for every big city there was food for them in unbelievable amount…  


“So here, winner, whose prize was stolen by cheat and manipulation. Justified wrath, what a taste!”  


He emitted devilish laugh. What a cliché. Thankfully he was alone here, as he really looked like a true idiot that moment…  


XXXXXXX  


“So, what do we have here?” asked Ladybug, appearing one or two minutes after Chat Noir.  
“She names herself Sphinx,” showed Chat Noir to monstrous figure, who looked like she appreciate attention of cameraman. “If they only have some invention and originality.”  
Sphinx looked like a girl with body covered by yellow-gray fur, with paws instead of hands and foots. In left upper paw she hold ankh. She stayed calm, with strange wise smile on unchanged girlish face.  
“What do you think, can she fly away?” asked Chat Noir.  
“That’s what we must find,” smirked Ladybug. “Let’s move to her, slowly.”  


Heavily armored policemen watched their coming. One of them showed his thumb up. Police finally showed its usefulness. These new, weaker akuma were often caught by police forces and placed in special dungeon, nicknamed ZOO-cage by cops. So Ladybug and Chat Noir were able to purify their akumas en masse…  


Sphinx turned to them and her smile was even wider:  


“Finally you’re here. I’ll ask you riddle, than you ask me riddle. If I win, I have your miraculous. If you win, I give you my akuma.”  


“Maybe in your dreams!” shouted Ladybug. “Lucky Charm!” shouted, throwing her yo-yo upstairs.  


Result was funny.  


“The Great Book of Riddles?” asked Chat Noir. “Seriously?”  


Ladybug used her Lucky Vision and only book, Chat Noir’s head and Sphinx appeared in polka-dot pattern.  


“Show, how clever are you, mon chaton!”  


“Meoweles!”  


Sphinx started with usual riddles and same did Chat Noir, with some Ladybug’s prompter.  


Finally Sphinx used ‘heavier caliber’:  


“Why do Frenchmen eat snails and frogs?”  


“That’s easy, other animal would kick them ass!” answered Chat Noir. “It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter.”  


“It’s Darkness!” smiled Sphinx. “But Gollum said it better, than you. How many Frenchmen is necessary to change one lightbulb?”  


“One is enough!” answered Chat Noir. “He keeps the lightbulb and the whole Europe rotates around him. What is green and red and goes round and round and round?”  


“Green and red and goes round and round and round?” Sphinx frowned. “This one I do not know. You win.”  


She stretched out her hand to Chat Noir: “And what’s the answer?”  


“Don’t dare to give it to him!” shrieked in her head Hawkmoth’s voice, as purple mask on her face appeared.  


“Screw you, Hawkmoth!” shrieked Sphinx. “All I want is justice. If he answers now, he win and you go to Hell!”  


“Answer is ‘Frog in cuisinart’,” answered Chat Noir and grabbed the ankh. “Did you never ever read ‘Trumps of Doom?”  


Sphinx laughed and observed, how Chat Noir tried to destroy ankh.  


“It’s magic, silly kitty,” said with teasing tone. “You’ll have to use your powers.”  


“Cataclysm!” shrieked Chat Noir and observed small dark moth escaping from dust.  


“No more evil doing for you, little akuma!” used her catchphrase Ladybug and yo-yoyed escaping insect. “Time to de-evilize!”  


Released moth was white, as usually.  


“Bye-bye little butterfly! Miraculous Ladybug!”  


Book of riddles changed into myriads of little ladybugs and Chat Noir observed piece of paper with printed text on it.  


“I’m Stéphanie, I should win a puzzler’s tournament,” explained ex-Sphinx. “According this I was best, but one of organizers prefers his girlfriend and due his machination I was only fourth. This document I obtained anonymously, from an insider.”  


“Probably from organizer without girlfriend,” smirked Ladybug. “What a big deal?”  


“Winner got weekend on Riviera with plus one,” explained Stéphanie. “It’s gift from sponsor and organizers should not got profit from that, but there is always way…”  


“As usual,” nodded Chat Noir.  


Stéphanie grabbed piece of paper from her purse. Hard to say, where it was, once she was akumized, Chat Noir did not remember any purse on Sphinx. She wrote something and passed it to Chat Noir.  


“That’s my phone number. If you wish to be MY plus one…”  


Chat Noir laughed, but placed paper into one pocket of his costume.  


“Lieutenant Raincomprix!” said Ladybug. “This document can be used as evidence in case of swindle or embezzlement, I believe.”  


“Thanks, Ladybug, I’ll take care of it!” answered policeman in task.  


“Bug off!” said Ladybug and yo-yoyed away before her timeout.  


Chat Noir made Cheshire Cat’s grin to camera and said:  


“Have a meoweleous day.”  


He never care, whether his puns are original (usually are not).  


XXXXXXX  


“Tikki, what the heck Chat Noir thinks?!” asked Marinette angrily. “How could he dare accept phone number from THAT girl?”  


“How many times did you accept phone numbers or mail contacts?” asked Tikki.  


“That’s something completely different!” shrieked Marinette. “I always threw it away.”  


“And how do you know, Chat Noir did not throw it away too?” asked her kwami.  


Interjection “Arrrgh!” is hard to be considered as valid answer, so Tikki laughed and said:  


“Better give me some food, there is another akuma for sure somewhere.”  


Scream of horror from another street could be caused by another akuma. So Tikki ate her cookie more quickly.  


“Tikki, spots on!”  


XXXXXXX  


“You know, that making Ladybug jealous will not work well!” Plagg flied before Adrien’s face, so Adrien used piece of Camembert to clog his mouth.  


“It seems to me, they play our song,” said Adrien, hearing screams of terror from another street. “Plagg, claws out!”  


XXXXXXX  


Ladybug and Chat Noir met upstairs, as usual. Street under their random roof was cold and empty like a hearth of professional politician. Dark snarling was some twenty, forty meters from them, hidden in shadows.  


TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> let's continue

Chapter 2)  


  


There was movement in shadows, heading out of both heroes. This street was empty, as everybody wisely remembered about each other’s important meetings somewhere in opposite parts of Paris. Nevertheless, if akuma would move that way, where he or she probably aimed, innocent people could get harmed…  


“I’ll go to check, what’s the hell is it, you cover me from upstairs m’lady.”  


Before Ladybug was able to protest, Chat Noir climbed down. Akuma appeared in time shorter, than eye-blink. This creature did not say nor demand anything. It’s mouth was unsuitable for speaking in fact. It looks like a strange cross between Loup-Garou (werewolf) and Tigre à dents de sabre (Saber-toothed cat).  


Chat Noir used his staff instinctively to block attack and (probably by goddess Fortuna own action) broke one elongated dent. Dark moth appeared and monster changed into chubby middle-aged man with bald pate on big part of his head. He kept his mouth both-handed and shrieked:  


“My tooth, they broke my tooth!”  


With these shrieks he disappeared in darkness. Later they learned, thanks to mistake of his dentist, poor man came to his office with dental crown of much brighter white color, than was color of rest of his teeth. His colleagues naturally laughed because of it and annoyed man was akumatised. What a triviality…  


They did not use their powers yet, Ladybug’s yo-yo swung from upstairs:  


“No more evil doing for you, little akuma!” used her catchphrase Ladybug and yo-yoyed escaping insect. “Time to de-evilize!”  


Before she released purified akuma, Chat Noir stopped her:  


“Don’t let it fly away!”  


“What the heck?!”  


Chat Noir climbed back to her and from one pocket pulled small plastic bottle. When he opened it, Ladybug felt irksome sweetish smell. Chat Noir opened her yo-yo, gently removed white butterfly and placed it into bottle.  


“That’s entomological killing jar,” explained Chat Noir. “The smell is ethyl acetate.”  


“Why?”  


“It’s time to pay visit at professor Lefebvre place.”  


“Whom?”  


“Professor Gustave Lefebvre is one of the best French lepidopterologists,” explained Chat Noir. Observing Ladybug’s baffled face he explained: “That’s branch of entomology. Professor Lefebvre is expert in exotic moths.”  


“That’s something we should do much sooner!” agreed Ladybug.  


“It was almost impossible. First, there was always an witness, usually with camera on us. So Hawkmoth would know about that almost immediately. And second, I found him just two weeks ago, when I got this idea. I also needed to find safe way to his place without being filmed by security camera and that was not easy at all. I checked visual angles of cameras there and map is prepared.”  


Chat Noir showed it on small display on his staff.  


“It’s quite complicated,” agreed Ladybug. “Just a moment! What if professor Lefebvre is Hawkmoth? He could make a trap to catch us…”  


“I believe, you remember Hawkmoth’s masque and face under it. Professor Lefebvre is in pension age, with beard and mustache. Hawkmoth has none of it. Professor Lefebvre is slightly wacky scientist, with happy family, one daughter, two grandchildren. He doesn’t answer to profile of sociopath like Hawkmoth.”  


“OK, let’s go. Where is his place?”  


“Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle of Sorbonne, naturally. Where else? So let’s go for some education!”  


They both switched on warning for case of new akuma attack on their devices, but Paris was almost surprisingly calm this evening. They jumped from roof to roof.  


“On Rue Cuvier there are too many cameras,” explained Chat Noir, when they changed direction. “Roof of Lip 6* is also covered, but we simply can’t avoid every camera here.”  


(*Laboratoire d'Informatique de Paris 6)  


Same was truth also for Bibliothèque de Licence 1, but they finally hit the roof of Muséum without police helicopters on their backs.  


“Collections have independent additional security protection, but we do not need to go there nor steal anything,” said Chat Noir and opened one small rooftop window. “Let me go first! I’ll catch you.”  


Chat sneaked through and half minute later whispered from downstairs:  


“You can go m’lady!”  


When she jumped downstairs, he caught her and kept her a few seconds longer, than it was necessary in hug.  


“Enough purring!” said Ladybug and slapped his nose by open hand from upstairs.  


Chat Noir laughed a bit.  


“Don’t be evil, m’lady!” said with theatrically seductive face expression.  


“You are incorrigible!” accused him Ladybug.  


“Sure, my best attribute!”  


They quickly moved throughout corridors.  


“Here’re toilets!” showed Chat Noir. “For case we need recharge our kwamis.”  


Professor Lefebvre’s study room was marked by discreet small label on the door.  


Chat Noir knocked, not aloud. Door opened and not tall grey haired man with short white beard looked on both heroes.  


“Looks, who ambled into town!” his voice was squeaky. “I hope you’re not such idiots to consider me to be Hawkmoth!”  


“No, professor,” answered Chat Noir unusually respectfully. “You don’t fit psychological profile. We’d ask you for help.”  


“What sort of help?” asked professor, but opened door enough to let both teenagers in. “By the way, young man, do you know, psychology is not an exact science?”  


Chat Noir pulled entomological killing jar from pocket.  


“So, that’s akuma, huh?!” asked professor and put on his pair of glasses. “For first sight it looks like an albino Antheraea…”  


He looked on both heroes:  


“What exactly should I do with it?”  


“We need to know as much as it’s possible, professor,” explained Chat Noir. “We need to find, who release them and where he keeps them. I guess, there must be somewhere really a lot of caterpillars and it means to know, what plant he used to feed them.”  


“Well, I can determine species, if it’s something new, I’ll publish it as new species. Can I name it Antheraea ladynoir, if it’s new one?”  


“Professor, I know the rule ‘Publish or perish’, but I’d wish you to ask delay publishing of it,” said Chat Noir. “We don’t know, whether Hawkmoth reads entomological journals or not.”  


“How long?”  


“Hard to say,” answered Ladybug. “Provisionally for two or three months. And ladynoir is good with me, as name for a moth. It was chatton’s idea to go here.”  


“Three months is too long time, young lady,” shook professor his head. “I don’t want to compete with some amateurs. Bon. I could do also chromatographic analysis of fluids to search for plant toxins residua. I hope you killed it with ethyl acetate or hydrogen cyanide. No, with cyanide hardly. You couldn’t have license to work with toxic substances,” professor opened killing jar and waved by his hand to taste the smell by his nose. “Ethyl acetate, perfect. Same analysis I did for CITES authorities by the way. Three years ago. They wanted me to find, whether imported butterflies for commerce were farm bred or wild caught.”  


“Why and how?” asked confused Ladybug.  


“Farmers use relatively small number of plants as food for feeding caterpillars,” explained professor. “There is different spectrum of alkaloids in their plants and in plants somewhere inside primary forest. And nobody want wild caught butterflies to be commercially sold, it should be strictly for research purpose only.”  


“Sounds good to me,” said Chat Noir. “I mean that analysis of toxins.”  


“May I ask you for something?” asked professor.  


“Sure, what’s up?”  
“I’d wish to have a signed selfie with you two. For my granddaughter, she’s your fan.”  


“OK, professor,” nodded Ladybug. “But we’ll sign it with our nomes de guerre.”  


“Off course,” nodded professor. “Corrine will love it. However I can’t get, why my daughter named her daughter after jumping spider…”  


Professor was lost in his mind a bit. But he placed his phone on tripod and showed both teenagers, where they should stay.  


“Say cheese!” said Ladybug.  


“Camembert!” answered Chat Noir, what made all three to laugh.  


Once professor printed photo and it was signed, he made puppy eyes on both.  


“May I ask you for demonstration of your powers?”  


He looked impressed, like a big child with insatiable curiousness, hidden somewhere inside minds of most of good scientists.  


“OK,” nodded Ladybug. “Lucky Charm!” she threw her yo-yo not too high not to hit ceiling.  


“What do we have here?” asked, observing bouquet of flowers in polka-dotted paper.  


Her Lucky Vision showed her only flowers inside and professor Lefebvre.  


“So, what is it?” asked professor and unpacked it. “Uhm… Tropaeolum. That’s quite interesting.”  


“What do you mean?”  


“Tropaeloum, or Nasturtium, is common plant, even edible, but it contains some insecticide chemical compounds. Anyway could be possibly used as feeding for caterpillars, as there is not that much of those insecticides. I can test it in chromatography. If these components are absent, result is in my mind, they should be used to kill akumas.”  


“Fine, before I use my second spell, Chat Noir could demonstrate his destructive powers.”  


“OK,” Chat Noir looked, what is not expensive or irreplaceable in professor study.  


He chose Erlenmeyer flask.  


“Cataclysm!”  


Erlenmeyer flask turned into silica dust.  


Ladybug threw polka-dotted paper into air.  


“Miraculous Ladybug!”  


The Erlenmeyer flask was repaired.  


“When could we come for results?” asked Chat Noir.  


“Try next week, same time, it should be finished. By the way, there should be seven dots!” professor pointed on Ladybug’s yo-yo.  


“Professor, design probably came from China, as far as we know.”  


“Harmonia axyridis has also never five dots,” said professor a bit stubbornly.  


“What?” asked Ladybug.  


“Asian Ladybeetle,” answered Chat Noir. “I guess, professor, whoever made that, he or she ignored true beetles and made it to look in symmetricity esthetically.”  


“You’re probably right, young man. I guess, I should not detain you.”  


His words were confirmed by beep from Ladybug’s earrings.  


“See you, professor!” said Chat Noir and they both left the place.  


“This way!” showed to left.  


They both hided themselves in shadows, so Muséum custodian did not observe them. They reached toilets in last moments for them both.  


“Interesting meeting!” smiled Tikki. “Chat Noir is cleverer, than I thought.”  


Tikki ate her cookie and same did Plagg with Camembert next door to them.  


“You are straw-picking, do you know it?” said to Adrien. “That plant is everywhere. Some fools even eat it!”  


“Fine, Plagg. But now, Plagg, claws out!”  


They met on most nonromantic place – before toilet entrance.  


“And what to do now, m’lady?” asked Chat Noir.  


“Let’s go catch some sleep, hopefully that Hawkus mothus will not send another akuma,” Ladybug’s try to pun was lame a bit.  


Once they reach safe place without cameras and witnesses, they parted with “Pound it” and “Good night.”  


XXXXXXX  


During pause before French literature lesson Adrien sat on his place and read book.  


Nino breathed down over his neck.  


“Dude, why the heck do you read about Atlanta Strangler?!”  


  


TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 3)  


  


Adrien shot short look into class. It seemed, everybody observed him and Nino now. Thankfully Lila Rossi was with totally lame excuse absent that day, so he could speak with less worry.  


“That’s ‘Mindhunter’,” answered Adrien.  


“That TV show?”  


“No, book written by FBI profiler,” shook Adrien his head.  


“John Douglas’s book?” asked Alya curiously. “He’s the only one who thinks, Wayne Williams was guilty. Even he himself concedes, he had no evidence, only his behavior profiling. Why do you read that? For really bad night mares?”  


“No,” shook Adrien his head. “I’m thinking, how to help heroes of Paris. I’m not brave enough to jump from roof to roof over the Paris…”  


-You hypocrite,- thought Max in that moment. -Others are probably stupid enough, not to recognize, but I KNOW, it’s YOU, who is hidden under Chat Noir’s mask.-  


On the other hand, Adrien evidently did not recognized yet, that Marinette is Ladybug, Alya is Rena Rouge and Nino is Carapace. People are pretty oblivious to details and unable to ‘connect dots’. From his observation Max learned, Adrien has crush for Ladybug, Marinette, Ladybug in civil her, has crush for Adrien, who is blind enough to recognize that. If they would not figure out things before Christmas, he could give a perfect Christmas gift for them both…  


“Seems to me, they should better try to find, who Hawkmoth is and eliminate him,” continued Adrien. “You know, to cut off the head of snake. Without Hawkmoth Paris would not turn into hellhole every second Monday.”  


“Interesting idea,” snorted Sabrina. “So you think, Police is incompetent in catching villains?”  


“Did they find Hawkmoth?” asked Alya. “There’s group of five heroes and Préfecture de Police de Paris with 34 THOUSANDS members. With so many members there should be a bit bigger progress, I believe…”  


“Chill, Alya!” asked Adrien. “Maybe it’s a mistake to focus on Hawkmoth’s magic abilities. Maybe he could be evaluated same way, as an serial killer.”  


“If you want to help heroes, you can come to help me with physics, Adrikins” purred Chloé. “I’m so tired from being heroine…”  


“I can’t remember any case, with Queen Bee assisting in last three weeks,” laughed Alya. “Nobody posted anything on my blog.”  


“Chloé, that’s interesting idea, but maybe you could rather help me now,” gave her Adrian his usual kind smile. “You faced Hawkmoth, so you could try to describe him. What I remember from TV news, he seemed to me as tall man.”  


“Why do you not ask Ladybug or Chat Noir?” asked Alya.  


“Nobody knows their identity,” snorted Adrien. “Chloé is the only one, who revealed her identity publically.”  


“OK,” nodded Chloé. “Detective Agreste, you can write. Hawkmoth is definitively man. Yes, he’s tall, 180, maybe 190 cm. Not fatty, athletic figure.”  


Adrien placed on his table piece of paper and wrote that.  


“Could you try to estimate age?”  


“Not less, than 35,” answered Chloé. “He has small wrinkles around his lips. But not more, than 60, I believe. Well, he has no mustache or beard near lips.”  


Adrien wrote that too.  


“Color of eyes?”  


“Blue, yea blue eyes…”  


“Anything more?” asked Adrien.  


“I don’t think so…” Chloé looked confused after doing something reasonable.  


“You was akumatized, in fact more, than once,” added Alya. “Do you remember anything about Hawkmoth? I myself do not.”  


“Only, somewhere deep, I remember, he told me, what I really wanted to hear. How amazing I am, when cooperating with him…”  


“Manipulative personality, that answers to serial killer pretty well,” said Adrien.  


“Not every manipulator is serial killer,” protested Alya. “In fact nobody died yet.”  


“Not because of Hawkmoth’s mercy, but thanks to effort of all five heroes plus help of some brave Parisians,” snorted Adrien back.  


“True,” nodded Alya. “Would you wish me to place your results to my blog?”  


“Better no,” said Max surprisingly breaking into debate. “That way it would be same like paint Bull-Eye on Adrien’s back. If I’m Hawkmoth, I’d read your blog, just to find, what is known or anticipated. By the way, he must be somehow connected with our school.”  


“You think so?”  


“Yea,” nodded Max. “Collège Françoise Dupont, from all the secondary schools in Paris was the only aim of akuma attacks. Some 70 maybe 80 percent of all attacks aimed on students, teachers or parents of students. There are two explanations, either there is Ladybug or Chat Noir secretly studying, or Hawkmoth is either parent of an student, or an ex-teacher. By the way, these two reasons do not exclude each other.”  


“What about ex-student?” asked Adrien.  


“Possible, but not probable,” answered Max. “Ex-student would rather aim on teachers, not on students, I believe.”  


“He’s criminal, probably mentally ill,” protested Alya. “He hardly thinks rationally.”  


“Au contraire,” Max smiled. “He acts rationally, in fact perfectly logically, from his point of view. You only need to find his point of view and motivation for his actions.”  


“Good advice, do you have any suggestion?” Adrien said with ironical tone of voice. “I myself have no idea.”  


“Me neither,” nodded Max. “I’m clever, not crazy. Yea, maybe another important estimate, he must be wealthy man, I believe.”  


“Why?”  


“Somebody, who works eight hour a day five days a week would hardly have time for akumatization of all those villains, somebody on socials would hardly have place for keeping so many butterflies. I’m sorry Adrien, but one of suspects is your father, he fits characteristics almost too perfectly…” Max looked sad a bit.  


“It must be just coincidence,” protested Adrien. “I hope so…”  


“Fine,” shouted Alya. “But how do you plan to hand result of your investigation over, if not presented on Ladyblog?”  


“I believe, one day soon I could pass it to Ladybug or Chat Noir personally.”  


“I can imagine it!” laughed Kim. “Look Ladybug! Here is result of my investigation of Hawkmoth identity. Please, date with me, please, please, please!”  


Ivan turned to Kim:  


“Adrien, may I bash him up, please, please, please!”  


“Ivan, if it’s what you need for your fun, do it for your own reasons,” answered Adrien. “Kim flattened on wall would hardly look too decorative, rather unaesthetic.”  


He turned to Kim:  


“Kim, your IQ would need to improve for 30 points to let you be intelligent enough to recognize, how stupid you are.”  


“It’s exaggerated,” said Max. “10 points would be sufficient. But Kim is right in one thing. You can’t date Ladybug, even if she’s so unreasonable to agree so. You’d be her soft point. Anybody could simply stalk you and after your ‘date’ track Ladybug to uncover her identity. Quite a disservice from your side. Why would you fall in love with Ladybug from all girls over the world? She wears mask, so you can’t know her face, but to recognize her body curves you do not need too much imagination. Do you want depersonalized mistress or what the heck?!”  


“Are you out of yourself or what?” asked Adrien, red in face, hard to say, whether because of anger or shame. “She saved my life. More, than once, in fact. So whom better to fall into?!”  


“Welcome in club!” smirked Max back. “I think everybody here thanks for life to her. But nobody declares to be in love with her.”  


“I would,” said Kim, surprisingly sheepishly. “But I believe, she’s with Chat Noir.”  


“They keep denying that, more exactly Ladybug does,” snorted Alya. “But you have NO chance Kim, about Adrien I’m unsure.”  


That moment Miss Bustier just came into class.  


“So what is it here?” asked. “That doesn’t look too much like your homework to me, Adrien.”  


“I tried to evaluate, who is Hawkmoth, Miss Bustier,” said Adrien.  


Miss Bustier looked on paper.  


“Interesting. I do not remember any ex-teacher fitting these characteristics… But as John Douglas is not a French author, I’d prefer you to take this book, as well as that paper, out of your table. So everybody on your seats, open on page 87…”  


XXXXXXX  


Doctor Jean-Pierre Langloix was not a happy man. Well, he was good specialist in abdominal surgery. But he lived in unhappy marriage, what confirmed documents he obtained from hired private eye. Now these documents, especially really questionable photos in his attaché case, had brisance of penthrite…  


When Ginette, his wife, came to hospital together with her damned mother, he really hoped his boss would help him, refusing to excuse him from hospital duties, but Professor Dumas explained him:  


“Jean-Pierre, you are quite lucky. Your monster-in-law lives in Lyon, so she’s in Paris not so often. My mother in law lives three streets to my house. I do NOT remember weekend without her annoying presence in my place. So go and drink your goblet of hemlock and have a fun. By the way, do you know, what’s the penalty for bigamy?”  


“I’m surgeon, not a lawyer,” answered Doctor Langloix.  


“Well, answer is, two mothers-in-law!” barked Professor Dumas. “And now go! You have so many overtime hours, so see you tomorrow!”  


“Don’t tell me, you’re irreplaceable here!” said Michelle Tricatelle, his termagant Nemesis, when he left his boss’s office. “During lunch we should discuss something!”  


Hippocratic Oath was the only thing, what prevented Doctor Langloix from improving her food with Lactulose, really potent laxative.  


Maitre d’hotel of his favorite restaurant invited them inside.  


“Doctor Langloix, table for three, just a minute, please.”  


“Sure Etienne,” answered Jean-Pierre. “What about your gall bladder?”  


“According echo the stone continues growing.”  


“Etienne, are you crazy? I told you to come to my work year ago. Biliary colic could even kill you and really painful way!”  


“I know, Doctor Langloix. But I’m worried about surgery…”  


“Do you prefer to die?!” Jean-Pierre was mad.  


“No, but… By the way, Doctor, you are here with this old bat and her shrew daughter you so unwisely married and not divorced with her yet.”  


“Touché!” nodded Jean Pierre. “If I divorce with her, would you come to hospital to remove your gall bladder?”  


“Deal, Doctor Langloix. By the way, what do you have in this briefcase?”  


“Maybe you’ll see it. Hopefully not…”  


“So you hired private eye…”  


“Maybe I’ll need a witness at court of law…”  


“Good luck, Doctor,” said Maitre d’hotel. “Natasha will show you your table.”  


“Here, Doctor Langloix,” showed blondie waitress. “If I can recommend, fillet porc caramélisé aux pommes is excellent today.”  


“Okay, I’ll follow your recommendation, miss,” nodded Doctor Langloix and observed, how Natasha helped his mother in law and subsequently his wife to settle. “What should I order to you?”  


They both said their wishes and Natasha wrote it into her writing pad.  


Once sitting on chair, Doctor Langloix started think over his plans for tomorrow. Surgery of Madam Leclercque’s duodenal cancer will be complicated. One shadow in CT-record he considered as suspect position of metastasis.  


His wife suddenly poked him into chest.  


”What?!” asked Jean-Pierre confused.  


“I asked, whether you listen me!” shrieked Michelle Tricatelle.  


“No, I do not!” answered Doctor Langloix, this time really pissed. “Whenever you open your mouth, I do my best to ignore, whatever you say.”  


His mother-in-law widened her eyes. Jean-Pierre observed well-known dark butterfly hide into her brooch. Her hair lost its artificial color and turned white. Her dress changed into white ancient Greek style chiton.  


“I am Oracle,” said akuma. “Now you will listen me. I will tell you, when and how you will die!”  


  


TO BE CONTINUED…


	4. Chapter 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 4)  


  


Marinette stared for a moment in disbelief. So Adrien fell in love into Ladybug?! Crap! That is really ugly sneer of destiny. Her own alter ego is her mysterious female rival…  
She started plotting, how could she use this knowledge. Marinette did never think about how her costume could influent on man’s imagination. For her it was simply something, what protected her anonymity and allowed her doing things, what unprotected body would not be able to do without painful death or at least crippling…  


“What’s with you, girl?!” nudged her Alya and whispered. “You have dream look, but another dream look, than usually…”  


“That’s okay, Alya, I just discovered something…”  


“That Adrien has big crush in Ladybug? It’s an open secret.”  


Marinette smiled on her.  


“Maybe I could try to steal him from her.”  


“From Ladybug?” snorted Alya. “Keep dreaming!”  


XXXXXXX  


Max caught Adrien just before lunch break:  


“Let me make picture of that paper!”  


Once he made it with his phone, Max smiled:  


“I can prepare D-base of suspects. But I need two three days for it, too many other things in run. By the way, there is another akuma attack.”  


Max showed his phone with video from restaurant.  


“That’s not far from here.”  


Marinette heard that. She checked on her phone and found place of new attack.  


Once out of school, they both found place for transformation.  


“Tikki, spots on!”  


“Plagg, claws out!”  


They both met near to restaurant.  


“M’lady, shall we dance?”  


“Sure, silly kitty!”  


XXXXXXX  


Doctor Langloix was as surgeon used in pigheadness of fate. ‘Needs must, when devil vomits into your kettle.’ There is always chance something could go really bad way during surgery, like ‘I perform an operation, I perform an operation, suddenly I do a post mortem’…  


So he did not waste time. To avoid traumatization of his fingers, he fastened his opened right palm and punched ‘Oracle’ to jawline with all his power. His mother-in-law was shocked for a moment, so Jean-Pierre crammed her mouth with canvas serviette.  
Waitress Natasha observed, what happened and screamed:  


“Etienne, we’ll need a rope! Firm rope!”  


Together with Doctor Langloix they pushed akumatized woman to her chair.  


Another akuma neared to Ginette Langloix, but before it was able to infect Jean-Pierre’s wife, another waitress hit it with carte du jour.  


“You are eliminated from menu!”  


Maitre d’hotel hurried with rope. Together they tied Michelle Tricatelle to her chair.  


“Something I should do years ago!” said Jean-Pierre.  


Ginette grabbed steak knife, but waitress used metallic platter to smash it from her hand.  


“So you want even to kill me?!” Doctor Langloix shrieked in disbelief.  


“So, what do we have here?” asked calm woman’s voice. “Inspector Marion Barniere. What the heck is it here?”  


“Here, Michelle Tricatelle was akumatized and promised to say, when and how one will die,” snorted Doctor Langloix.  


“And you are?” asked policewoman.  


“Jean-Pierre Langloix. She is my mother-in-law.”  


Inspector Barniere grimaced.  


“Seems, you enjoyed your time. Well. I’ll need everybody’s personal data. And I heard something about killing?”  


Doctor Langloix pointed on knife on floor. Inspector gesticulated on one uniformed policeman.  


“Fingerprints!”  


Policeman nodded and placed knife into plastic bag. Ginette started to tremble.  


“Are you going to press charges?” asked Inspector Barniere.  


“It depends on my wife’s decision.”  


“What decision, you cochon?!” asked furious woman. “I need a divorce! Doctor Bornishe will fleece you up to underpants!”  


“I don’t think so,” said Jean-Pierre. “Don’t you remember our marriage contract? You’re such a stupid bitch, you never agreed to give a birth of baby!”  


Ginette stared on her husband in silent disbelief.  


“According that contract you lose any right of financial compensation,” explained Doctor Langloix. “Once you are not loyal, but errant wife. And here,” he opened his attaché case. “Here I have photo-documentation and sworn deposition of my private eye about your affairs. But you can agree with 20 thousands euro as compensation. And if you leave Paris for good, changing your surname back to Tricatelle and if you promise never bother me again, I can agree to cancel your charge. Now give me your keys of my house and return to Lyon with your mother. Hire your own lawyer. Doctor Bornishe works for my family, not for you. Here is his business card. Your lawyer will know, what to do. I don’t want to see even your photo ever again. So, accept it or… …how long incarceration is for such kind of assault, inspector?”  


Inspector Barniere gave them ugly smile, observing photos:  


“Three to six years, depending on judge’s judgement. If she is lucky and judge would be woman, your wife could count on two years at least. What should be done here with madam Tricatelle?”  


“I placed announcement about akuma on Ladyblog, maybe Ladybug and Chat Noir could come in not so long time,” said Maitre d’hotel. “It’s good, they send you, inspector Barniere!”  


“It’s my district territory, Etienne” smirked policewoman. “I give them thirty minutes. If they couldn’t come in that time, madam Tricatelle could wait for heroes in ZOO cage.”  


“It wouldn’t be necessary,” said Ladybug, who just came. “I see, it’s only weak akuma. Has anybody notice, where akuma is hidden?”  


“In her brooch,” said Doctor Langloix.  


Chat Noir grabbed brooch and stomped on it.  


“No more evil doing for you, little akuma!” said Ladybug and caught escaping dark butterfly. “Time to de-evilize!”  


“Here is another akuma!” showed Natasha on carte du jour on table.  


Chat Noir turned dossier with papers.  


“Completely dead,” said, but suddenly dark butterfly repaired itself and tried to fly away.  


“No way!” said Ladybug and caught it. “Chatton, better don’t underrate our enemy next time!”  


Two white butterflies left her yo-yo. When Chat Noir looked on photos on table, he blushed.  


“I have no idea, Paris hero could be that innocent!” laughed inspector Barniere. “Try to forget it before you agree to marry anybody. Not every wife is so disloyal.”  


Deakumatized madam Tricatelle stared and mumbled through canvas in her mouth.  


“Be careful m’lady, she could bite!” said Chat Noir, when observed Ladybug, who removed canvas from woman’s mouth.  


“HOW DARE YOU?!” shouted Michelle Tricatelle.  


“You were under influence of akuma,” explained her Jean-Pierre. “And Ginette will return to Lyon with you now. I hope, you both will spend together perfect time!”  


“WHAT?!”  


“Well, your daughter decided, one husband is not enough for her,” snorted Jean-Pierre and showed one of photos to his mother-in-law. “When everything was lost for her, she even tried to use knife on me. I guess, I have right to need her out of my eyes.”  


“Are you really THAT stupid?” asked madam Tricatelle her daughter. “If you have morality of cat in heat, do it at least discreetly!”  


“Well madam, not every cat does THAT!” pointed Chat Noir on photos.  


Inspector, as well as Ladybug and waitresses laughed.  


“He’s so sweet!” whispered one waitress to Ladybug ear.  


“I heard it!” Chat Noir’s objection caused another burst of laugh.  


“So instead of having lunch I’m derided here,” said Chat Noir philosophically. “I need to return to my other duties. Hungry.”  


Maitre d’hotel showed to one waitress two fingers.  


“If you could wait a moment, we can give you two baguettes. We have it here for staff members in hurry. Much better, than from Crocodilles.”  


“Thanks a lot,” nodded Chat Noir. “May I ask also a piece of Camembert?”  


“And some cookies?” asked Ladybug.  


Waitress nodded and disappeared back into kitchen.  


“Not bad place for lunch or dinner,” said Chat Noir and glanced around.  


“Out of my money,” smirked on him Ladybug. “Are you such a snob?”  


“Why not?” asked Chat Noir.  


About that time waitress was back with two baguettes and small stinky parcel in grey canvas, as well as another parcel in white one.  


“Thanks!” said Chat Noir with two-finger salute. “I have feline, there will be troubles of non-akuma character.”  


“Don’t make puns on publicity, Kitty, please,” Ladybug shook her head theatrically.  


They both left and soon after also Ginette still Langloix as well as her mother also left, both to catch train to Lyon.  


“So fillet porc caramélisé aux pommes, Mr. Langloix?” inspector Barniere smiled. “It would be wrong to let such good meal be spoiled. Would you mind, if I keep your company?”  


Doctor Langloix was perplexed a bit. He looked on inspector Barniere. Policewoman was pretty, maybe not so beautiful, as his soon-to-be-ex-wife, but looked as much more reasonable woman, clever enough to reach rank of inspector.  


“I just need to remove THAT,” he showed on photos on his table.  


“Sure,” agreed policewoman. “Francois, could you pack it and attach it to protocol about this affair? I think, I’ll have lunch break right now.”  


“Sure inspector,” nodded uniformed policeman and smirked. “If Mr. Langloix use Doctor Bornishe’s service, he could hardly lose this case. I’ll call him to collect it in our precinct.”  


“Excellent idea, Francois,” nodded inspector. “Anyway, we serve and protect.”  


When her colleagues disappeared, she shortly laughed:  


“I’m divorced too. I found my husband in bed with another woman. I hit him with taser into arse. It was a mistake, I lost my rank for a year, I was suspended for several months and I faced disciplinary proceedings. I also needed change district, as my husband worked there too.”  


Doctor Langloix laughed.  


“I said enough,” said inspector Barniere. “What is your profession, Mr. Langloix?”  


“Doctor Langloix is surgeon in hospital…” said Maitre d’hotel.  


“Etienne, tomorrow you will drink no liquor, after three P.M. you will not eat anything and day after tomorrow I expect you in morning in my ordination. We’ll do complete preoperative set of screening and if there is no problem, in two days your gall bladder will be resolved.”  


“Doctor Lagloix…” Etienne stared in disbelief.  


“We have agreement Etienne,” said Jean-Pierre with laugh. “I will divorce, you will go to surgery. We both will save our lives.”  


Inspector Barniere started laughing and Doctor Langloix decided, he likes this voice…  


XXXXXXX  


Ginette found, hiring lawyer, who would face Doctor Bornish is already impossible. One of them explained her:  


“Nobody will go against Bornish in such a lost case. Save your money and accept your husband’s requirements. Next time better remember condition of any signed contract…”  


XXXXXXX  


When they left restaurant, Chat Noir seemed to be shocked. Ladybug tried to calm him down:  


“Button up kitten, not every woman is such a bitch.”  


Chat Noir looked on her and looked like being lost in mind.  


“I know, just, it was… …erm… …surprising…”  


“Sure,” nodded Ladybug. “There is something else I wish to consult with you.”  


“Yea?”  


“I found, there’s boy, who decided to help us to figure out, who is Hawkmoth. So I’ll go to visit him to check, what he found.”  


“Is it reasonable, m’lady?” asked Chat Noir. “What if that boy would try to do something?”  


“I’ll go there as Ladybug, he could hardly overcome this costume without having his own superpowers,” she smirked. “And I believe, he deserves visit of that prettier of both of us.”  


“So why do YOU go there?” said Chat Noir with wicked smile.  


Ladybug just laughed and yo-yoyed away.  


Chat Noir found safe place:  


“Plagg, claws in!”  


Once Adrien again, he checked on his phone Ladyblog. There was no information about his investigation, as well as about another investigation, only some new rumors…  


Yes, there is always possibility, there is another boy, who tried do same investigation, as he does, but there is an easy marker – if Ladybug would appear in his room soon, she is most possibly from his school, maybe even from his class…  


“Euro for your idea!” said Plagg.  


Adrien offered him Camembert, what small black creature of Destruction literally sucked and after that Plagg hided in his usual place in inner pocket…  


Who could be Ladybug? Adrien ate baguette relatively slowly, so he did not finished it before return to school. He observed surprised face of Marinette, who observed baguette in his hand. Why does she look surprised? Moment!? Could Marinette be Ladybug?! She has same body type, same height and even same color of eyes. And her character is also similar, Adrien himself announced her as Everyday Ladybug. Could things be just SO simply?  


When last lecture finished, Adrien stopped her:  


“Marinette, I’d wish to talk with you!”  


  


TO BE CONTINUED…


	5. Chapter 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 5)  
  
  
  
“W… what… what about?” asked Marinette.  
  
She expected either his ‘accusation’ -“You are Ladybug!”- or his declaration -“I am Chat Noir!”-, so his words surprised her:  
  
“My father has an offer for you?”  
  
“O… o… offer?”  
  
“Yes, he said, you are really talented fashion designer and he is thinking about hiring you as freelancer designer.”  
  
“Freelancer?”  
  
“Yes,” Adrien nodded with smile. “He said, I have no talent, well… He’s right in it. I can recognize, what is good. I can model it, but in fact well-trained baboon could do the same work too.”  
  
“Y… you look better, than baboon!”  
  
“Thanks Marinette! But truth is, I’m in fact unable to invent something really new. We should go to your parents.”  
  
“M… my par… parents? Why?”  
  
“When you will hold talks with my father, you would need some backup on your own. I’m supposed to be loyal to my father, so I can’t simply say – Mr. Agreste, you cannot consider designs you did not pay for as monopolized only for you. I mean, if my father would not buy an design you invent, you should have in contract special exception. Designs Gabriel Brand will not agree to buy, you have right to offer to anybody and that you can do designs for you, for your family members and maybe two or three closest friends. On the other hand, my father would such suggestion expect from your mother, whom he considered to be wise, not from me.”  
  
“I… is it the only reason for your suggestion now?”  
  
“No,” said Adrien. “That way we could see each other a bit more often. It’s always lovely to see you.”  
  
Marinette almost fainted.  
  
“So do you agree, Marinette?”  
  
She frantically nodded several times.  
  
“Fine, calling my father… crap… he has voicemail there, as usual. OK, I’ll try Nathalie.”  
  
Adrien looked nowhere focused. After short moment he smiled:  
  
“Nathalie, fine. You remember, my father wanted to hire Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng as freelancer designer? Yes, that girl, who create that hat with feathers. I’m just negotiating with her, but I guess, her contract must be countersigned by her parents.”  
  
“You’re right Adrien,” said Nathalie. “I’ll instruct your bodyguard to drive you both to her place. Negotiation you can do yourself. I hope, they’ll agree to come to our place today, so your bodyguard will transport whole group. I’ll prepare some treats. Your father could be free for some twenty minutes in one hour or so, so after your arrival I’ll help you with administrative details before he could join negotiation. I believe, you’ll do good job.”  
  
“I hope so, bye Nathalie,” answered Adrien.  
  
“W… what?”  
  
“Well, we are invited for negotiation to our place,” said Adrien. “Once I cajole your parents to agree talk with my father and with Nathalie. Well, there’s a bit problem¬…”  
  
“P… problem?”  
  
“Nathalie insists on our going to your place in my father’s car with our bodyguard. I’d prefer to go there walking, but well… for security reasons…”  
  
“I… it’s OK, A… Adrien…” Marinette stared in disbelief.  
  
-What the heck that means?!?-  
  
“Fine, Marinette, our transport is here.”  
  
Alya with Nino observed them both totally confused. Adrien helped Marinette into car and they left.  
  
“Come, Nino, there’s something weird!”  
  
Nino was sure, something strange was in Alya’s head, but if he wants some ‘benefits’ with Alya, he should follow her instructions. Thanks to heavy traffic jam they had no problems to follow Adrien’s father’s car. Car stopped in front of Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Adrien said something to his bodyguard, who stayed in car.  
  
Marinette together with Adrien came inside.  
  
“Hi mama,” smiled Marinette.  
  
Outside of bakery…  
  
“What do you think, is Marinette pregnant?” asked Nino stupidly.  
  
“Clean your brain, Nino!” barked Alya. “Adrien is plotting something, what’s almost unbelievable, but I see it on my own eyes!”  
  
Same time inside…  
  
“Hello, Madam Cheng,” greeted Adrien. “Nice to see you.”  
  
Sabine observed Adrien, with silent question hidden in her smile.  
  
“Hi Adrien, nice to see you!” she invited him. “Sabine is enough. Is there some schoolwork you are going to do with Marinette?”  
  
“I’m not sure,” said Adrien and turned to Marinette. “Marinette, would you need my help with homework?”  
  
“N… not necessary,” said Marinette. “Is papa home?”  
  
“Sure, but what’s up?” Sabine looked confused.  
  
“Can I buy some four croissants?” asked Adrien. “My bodyguard waits in car and it’s unfair to him feel that nice smell from your bakery hungry.”  
  
“Sure,” smiled Sabine and in moment she passed him a bag with four croissants.  
  
When Adrien left place, she turned to her daughter:  
  
“So young lady, what is it about?”  
  
“Mama, Adrien said, his father wants to hire me as freelancer designer. But my contract must be countersigned by you and by papa.”  
  
“What does that mean?” Sabine observed her daughter with attention.  
  
“I could work for one of most recognized designers and got paid for it and also be with Adrien… Maybe he could…”  
  
“Fall into you?” asked her mother with helpful smile. “Do you really want that? I mean you yourself for yourself…”  
  
“I do,” whispered Marinette.  
  
“Fine, let’s talk to that fashion mogul,” nodded Sabine. “TOM, COME HERE!” she shouted.  
  
“Is something wrong?” asked Tom. “Marinette, whom do I need savage to death?”  
  
Same time outside of bakery…  
  
“At least he feeds his pet Gorilla,” said Nino, observing Adrien with croissants.  
  
They both stood on opposite side of bakery and observed both Agreste’s car with (a little bit less) frowning bodyguard, and Adrien, interrogated by both Marinette’s parents.  
  
“Heck the pet!” whispered Alya. “Seems to me, Marinette’s father gives Adrien hard time.”  
  
Inside…  
  
Marinette several times breathed in and out.  
  
“Adrien said, his father wants to offer me contract. I would work for Gabriel Agreste as freelancer designer.”  
  
“And you could see Adrien without other schoolmates,” added Sabine.  
  
Speaking of devil, Adrien just came inside.  
  
“Did you explain them, what’s the problem?”  
  
“Not everything…”  
  
“OK,” Adrien smiled. “Marinette should have in contract special exception. Designs Gabriel Brand will not agree to buy, she will have right to offer to anybody. And that she can do designs for herself, for family members and for closest friends. I believe, the best would be, if madam Cheng would ask for that. My father would expect that from wise mother. By the way, Marinette, you’ll need sketch-blocks to show your design to my father.”  
  
“S… sure, Adrien!” she squeaked and ran up to her room.  
  
When their daughter left the place, both her parents focused on Adrien.  
  
“And what profit would you have from that?” asked Tom. “There’s no such thing as free lunch. Why do you recommend that, in fact against your father?”  
  
“In future, when I’ll be responsible for Gabriel Brand, I’ll need somebody with talent for design, loyal to me. I have no talent myself. People like Audrey Bourgeois are not scarce phenomenon in beauty business. It would be nice to have covered back…”  
  
“So, I believe, Mr. Agreste will have more to say to it,” said Sabine. “Are we expected there today?”  
  
“Sure,” nodded Adrien. “Is it a problem for you to go there? Nathalie, I mean Miss Sancoer, my father’s assistant, promised to prepare concept of contract. My father is busy now, but in hour or so he’ll join us, Nathalie promised. She promised also some treat, but, well, do not except too much.”  
  
“Why?” asked Tom. “Your father is sick or tight-fisted?”  
  
Sabine gave him dirty look and stared daggers on him.  
  
“Well, Mr. Dupain, imagine scribbled plate from horticultural exhibition,” smirked Adrien. “My father strongly believe in healthy-living-style, in sense expect him to offer something fancy, expensive and inedible.”  
  
Everybody laughed on that explanation.  
  
“So let’s go!” said Adrien, observing Marinette with sketch-blocks.  
  
Tom grabbed his hand and cornered him for a moment. He placed his big hand on Adrien’s shoulder and neared it to his neck.  
  
“I really hope, you do not trifle with my daughter’s feelings,” he whispered to Adrien’s ear. “Are you good boy or spoilt rich brat?”  
  
Adrien remembered well, how overprotective Marinette’s father was after akumization as Weredad.  
  
He smiled on Tom and moved his hand from own shoulder. His answer was also whisper:  
  
“Trust me, I respect your daughter and I love her. I love her as my good friend for sure and maybe even more, I simply don’t know yet. I respect your need to protect her, but Mr. Dupain…”  
  
“Tom is enough.”  
  
“But Tom, do never ever try this again, if my bodyguard could see that,” explained Adrien. “I’m myself tolerant, but he’s drilled to be overprotective to protected person and could seriously harm you before I’d be able to explain him everything. And… well… my parents did their best not to let me be spoilt.”  
  
When Tom observed Adrien’s bodyguard, he recognized for first time somebody potentially really dangerous…  
  
“Tom, you must sit here!” showed him Sabine to seat next to driver. She placed notice ‘SORRY, WE ARE CLOSED’ on bakery door.  
  
Adrien’s bodyguard frowned on Tom and Mr. Dupain came to understanding, why everybody name that man ‘the Gorilla’…  
  
Agreste mansion was built to make impression on visitor, rather than to be comfortable for living. In needlessly big and pompous entrance hall Nathalie Sancoeur looked almost being lost.  
  
“Madam Cheng, Mr. Dupain and Miss Dupain-Cheng, welcome here. Follow me, please. Mr. Agreste will join us later. By the way, Adrien, good work!”  
  
Tom and Sabine observed Adrien, who looked almost avid to commendation. This boy has probably not easy time here…  
  
They sat around table in dining room enough for some twelve people.  
  
“Here is preliminary version of contract,” said Nathalie. “It’s standard contract for freelancer. If I can recommend, take it home for consulting with lawyer…”  
  
“I believe, lawyer would hardly say anything against this contract,” said Sabine. “But there is not mentioned question of unaccepted designs. There should be agreed exception, allowing Marinette to sell such a design on free market. And she also does designs for herself or us, I mean my husband Tom and me.”  
  
“That’s not a problem!” smiled Nathalie. “I can include it into contract.”  
  
She used laptop and typed it into concept of contract.  
  
“And for my friends, Alya Césaire and her boyfriend Nino Lahiffe,” added Marinette, founding all of a sudden her voice.  
  
“Fine,” nodded Nathalie. “What do you think, would they agree to do some photos, just for us, so we could show, not only professional models can wear Gabriel Brand designs.”  
  
“I can ask,” answered Marinette.  
  
“Marinette,” asked Adrien. “I do not remember any design of yours Nino or Alya ever wore.”  
  
“Adrien!” Marinette looked angry a bit. “I disputed that with Alya for next school dance.”  
  
She started feel more self-confident and stopped stuttering.  
  
“OK, so it’s just a question of prospective future possibility,” smiled Nathalie. “OK, I see no problem include that into contract too.”  
  
That was time Gabriel Agreste managed to join. He waved on greetings and asked:  
  
“Welcome to Agrestes’. Nathalie, how goes agreement with our guests?”  
  
“Sir, they demand allowance to sell unaccepted designs on free market and to designs for family members and for two schoolmates, who are Miss Dupain-Cheng BFF Alya Césaire and her boyfriend Nino Lahiffe.”  
  
“Name Lahiffe I remember,” said Gabriel with a nod. “He’s Adrien’s friend. OK. Madame Cheng, Mr. Dupain, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I guess, I can accept it. Please, don’t forget, part of contract is also oath of silence. In sense, if you, accidentally or through orders, learn things belonging as part of trade secret, there is penalty for divulge it. I can even offer one benefit to this contract, if you do design on your own, you could buy material from our resources free of gross margin. Is this offer interesting for you?”  
“Y… yes sir,” nodded Marinette. “Would you like to see my drawings of designs?”  
  
“I’d love to see it,” nodded Mr. Agreste and Nathalie passed him Marinette’s sketch blocks.  
  
He browsed through that.  
  
“I was right. You’re talented, beyond doubts.”  
  
“Thank you, sir.”  
  
“Now, few words, before we finish our discussion for today,” Gabriel observed Marinette with attention, especially her earrings. “Maybe you are eager to sign contract right now. Do not do that. For future you’d better learn, your work has its price and if it’s possible, take your time to think things over. Part of art of bargaining is in reckoning of perfect timing. Do never underrate your work. I really like that idea of your logo you made on that derby hat. You should register it as your personal logo, I mean that golden line with your name flipped upside down. I informed myself about you and I found you to be talented.”  
  
He paused for a moment and took a swallow of water.  
  
“Well, your talent is still only raw, but it’s something my son unfortunately did not inherit and we can work on it. You must learn some patience and also some self-assurance. I believe, you should model some of your designs for girls. But as you were never on catwalk, for beginning it would be better, if my son would pair you during that. His arms are strong enough, so he wouldn’t let you fall or embarrass yourself. Do you have boyfriend, Miss Dupain-Cheng?”  
  
“B… boyfriend?” Marinette stared on Gabriel in disbelief. “Why are you asking that?”  
  
“Well, your work means, you will spend quite a lot of time with my son. As far as I know, he has no girlfriend yet, his only problem is in crazy fangirls. But I’d prefer avoid a problem with jealous boyfriend of my new freelancer designer.”  
  
“I have no boyfriend now.”  
  
“Fine,” smiled Gabriel. “There is soon an excellent occasion to present you to publicity. I mean Halloween Party in Le Grand Paris. As it’s 23 October today, I think, we’d better present you in something already completed, you can be there as Ladybug and Chat Noir. I have both costumes from Clara Nightingale music video.”  
  
“Better not, father,” objected Adrien.  
  
“Why not, explain that!”  
  
“First, these two are really popular, half of guests will be there in these costumes, so we’d look like copycats. And second, it’s almost year ago, I grew taller.”  
  
Gabriel Agreste frowned.  
  
“Sir, I have another idea,” said Marinette.  
  
She panicked for a moment, but composed herself quickly.  
  
“I need one sketch-block and pencil.”  
Nathalie passed it to her and Marinette quickly drew something. Nathalie passed sketch-block back to Gabriel.  
  
“It’s only a raw draw…”  
  
“No, it’s good enough, I can imagine it,” smiled Gabriel. “Who’s that?”  
  
“Robin des Bois* and his fiancée Marion,” explained Marinette.  
  
(*Robin Hood)  
  
“Not that bad idea,” nodded Gabriel. “Would be original, I guess. Only, that Marion’s costume looks a bit like hunter’s outfit from that German fairy-tale, Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, Trois noisettes pour Cendrillon*.”  
  
(*Three Gifts for Cinderella)  
  
“Or would you prefer something from Twilight, Adrien?” asked Marinette. “As it’s for Halloween party of horrors…”  
  
“The best thing, what to do with any vampire is to use sharpened aspen wood stick and BIG hammer to stab it into hearth,” frowned Adrien.  
  
“Not a Twilight fan?”  
  
“Not at all.”  
  
“OK,” said Gabriel. “I expect your answer, ideally in three days, Miss Dupain-Cheng…”  
  
It was moment, when Marinette’s phone started to ring and she mindlessly accepted incoming call.  
  
“Sorry… Hi, Luka, what’s up?”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 6)  
  
  
  
Marinette was not aware of everybody staring on her.  
  
“No, just now I’m busy. What? Coffee tomorrow at four? OK…”  
  
Now she finally realized, something went really wrong. Gabriel Agreste observed her with cold expression in face, her parents were likewise disillusioned. Adrien on other hand seemed to be betrayed for a moment, but he quickly returned to his usual polite smile.  
  
Marinette switched her phone and hided it in her purse.  
  
Gabriel cleared his throat and flat toned noted:  
  
“Miss Dupain-Cheng, however I understand, up-to-date teenagers tend to be unable for living without their phones, I’d better prefer for future, if you use to consider EVERY our dispute as business moment. During business bargaining you’d learn to either switch your phone to silent mode or better to turn it off. I’m quite patient person, in comparison with Audrey Bourgeois for example. She would cancel business contract because of that and she is one of our important clients and also harsh fashion critic. As director of ‘Style Queen Magazine’ she’s capable to destroy anybody’s reputation.”  
  
“Yes sir,” nodded Marinette. “Next time I’ll switch it off.”  
  
“Fine,” nodded Agreste senior. “Do you wish to enlist that ‘Luka’ into any list of… well… anything? Or our debate could be closed for today?”  
  
“No sir,” shook Marinette her head. “I’ll inform Adrien, once we’ll have signed contract for you.”  
  
“Fine, so do not let me detain you*,” said Gabriel with strange half-smile. “Adrien, please do not forget, your tutor of Chinese language will be here in twenty minutes.”  
  
(*orig. Lord Havelock Vetinari by Terry Pratchett)  
  
That information about Chinese tutor was a pure lie, but Adrien was not in a mood to dispute that. Together with Nathalie they escorted Marinette’s family to car.  
  
“Drive them home,” said Nathalie and frowning bodyguard nodded.  
  
In car Dupain-Cheng family stayed silent.  
  
“Bye!” they cheered, once they were in front of bakery again.  
  
Bodyguard incomprehensible grumbled and nodded, a second later he left the place…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“Well son, seems to me, you are disappointed a bit,” said Gabriel.  
  
“Yes father,” nodded Adrien.  
  
“There is no need to throw towel in,” smiled his father. “Not yet. I have a question.”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Who’s that Luka?”  
  
“A musician,” explained Adrien.  
  
“And do you let a scraper fiddler win over you? What are you, a snowflake or a man?” Gabriel frowned. “Or would you prefer another girl?”  
  
“No, I want her,” said Adrien decisively.  
  
He decided to go for broke for a chance, Marinette IS Ladybug…  
  
“Fine,” nodded Gabriel. “So I have a deal for you. As you always say, you have no time to ask girl out, Nathalie will find time in your schedule and she’ll give you also some advices, what to do and especially, what NOT to do.”  
  
“Sir, from tomorrow Adrien could have free time up to Sunday in fact,” said Nathalie. “There’s nothing really important till THAT photoshoot.”  
  
“Right, Nathalie,” smiled Adrien’s father. “The deal offer for you. I’ll give you four weeks deadline. To report me, truly off course, that Marinette Dupain-Cheng IS YOUR girlfriend for future. If you screw it up, I guess, you’ll need some extra lessons added. I’ll be REALLY disappointed with you, if I’d discover, she’d be that Luka’s sexual partner. Now she’ll have just one coffee date with him and my advice is, stop it, not letting it to continue.”  
  
“You mean, like beat Luka into rounded cube?” said Adrien. “That’d be fine…”  
  
“Well, sounds like good time option, but answer is no,” frowned his father even more. “You must also watch over your public image. In necessary case, you could ask your bodyguard, where to hire some muscles without brains and send them on him. But it’s just a last possibility. There could be better, if you manipulate one of heroes, ideally Chat Noir, to beat him. As I remember, he protected Marinette during her meeting with Evillustrator. You met Chat Noir personally, didn’t you?”  
  
“Yea, I did,” smiled Adrien. “There are quite often akumas in our school.”  
  
“Hopefully you’ll either succeed to manipulate Marinette to refuse that Luka due to her own decision, or you’ll ‘neutralize’ him another way, not connectable to you.”  
  
Adrien shook his head in disbelief.  
  
“I can’t even imagine, how to manage that.”  
  
“Your bodyguard could help you in necessary case.”  
  
Adrien with father ate ‘treats’ prepared by Nathalie, deciding to name it ‘dinner’, in silence, however Adrien would prefer something more ‘substantial’ to eat…  
  
“So, do your homework and good night son,” nodded Gabriel as good-bye.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Marinette faced her parents.  
  
“Young lady, can you explain, what was it about?” asked her mother.  
  
“I don’t understand…”  
  
“Well, Marinette, you’ve more than two years continue in scheming, how to make dating with Adrien Agreste. And now his father offers you not so bad work contract, with bonus meeting your dream boy. In that very moment, you accept invitation from another boy. My dear, whom would you wish to date, Adrien, or Luka?”  
  
“Well, mama, I don’t know now…”  
  
“You don’t know?!” Tom was consternated. “Adrien seems to me as pleasant, maybe too much good in fact. I never remember you speaking about that Luka…”  
  
“That’s truth,” shook Marinette her head. “I’m just confused. All the time there was nothing from his side and he suddenly came with offer from wild dream and everything looks even too good, as you said, papa.”  
  
“Girl,” said Sabine with smile. “Try to decide, with who of them you’d wish to be in future, let’s say after forty years.”  
  
“That would be rather Adrien…”  
  
“I observed him,” snorted Sabine. “It was only for a moment, but he looked, like if he feels being betrayed. When he returned to smile, it was fake mask.”  
  
“What do you mean, mama?”  
  
“He smiled only by lips, not by eyes,” explained Madam Cheng. “Before that he had different eye expression. As model he’s used to fake smile off course.”  
  
“What should I do?” Marinette looked lost a bit.  
  
“That’s not so bad, maybe Adrien needed to feel risk of losing you,” smiled her mother. “But if you want him, better cut with Luka quickly, but politely. Just drink one coffee, PAY for your one, don’t let him to pay for it and off course DO NOT pay for him. It’s symbolic refuse. If he would not understand, ask Adrien to bash him up.”  
  
“Mama!” Marinette gave her mother shocked look. “Are you crazy?”  
  
“I tested him,” said her father. “He’s not a coward. And his muscles are stronger, than I think. Sometimes man needs to punch somebody with his fist.”  
  
“OK,” nodded Marinette. “I’ll discuss that with him tomorrow morning. Now, I have some homework to do…”  
  
“Sure…” both her parents smiled on her. “Whatever you’d decide, we support you…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“So sir, what do you think?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“Fine, we have Ladybug together with Chat Noir here, within arms reach” smiled Gabriel. “Only we mustn’t frighten them untimely.”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	7. Chapter 7)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 7)  
  
  
  
Adrien worked on his homework.  
  
Plagg observed him and was bored. He started singing drunken traditional:  
  
“She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me.  
But the devil take the women for they never can be easy.  
Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da!  
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o!  
There's whiskey in the jar!”  
  
Plagg’s squeaky voice was disharmonic.  
  
In that moment somebody knocked on Adrien’s window…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Marinette observed Tikki, who flied around her in circles.  
  
“That’s abuse of your powers!” red kwami was furious. “There’s no real need…”  
  
“Enough!” decided Marinette. “Tikki, spots on!”  
  
Being transformed, she hurried to Agreste mansion. As she remembered, Gabriel Agreste is suspect to be Hawkmoth, she carefully avoided every place with security cameras and sneaked there like Winnetou the Apache into Kiowa camp.  
  
“Lucky Charm!” she whispered into night.  
  
Spell gave her night vision device. When she used it, she observed, where cameras are placed and what they covered. Under Adrien’s window her earrings started to beep.  
  
“Tikki, spots off!”  
  
“Marinette!” red kwami looked shocked. “Don’t do that again!”  
  
“I’m sorry Tikki, but I REALLY needed to speak with Adrien face-to-face. And how else could I go here?”  
  
Tikki grumbled, but a moment later nodded. Marinette gave her chocolate cookie.  
  
“So cheaply you wouldn’t get it. But you’re right, we’d meet Adrien. Maybe he knows something really important. I allow you to use your power to try manipulate him, for now…”  
  
“Thanks, Tikki, spots on!”  
  
To her surprise she heard from Adrien’s room strange voice singing an hackneyed song. How the heck Adrien managed to hear THAT?!  
  
She knocked on Adrien’s window and song interrupted. Ladybug was grateful, she was sure, she could hardly tolerate, if Adrien decided to hear such a thrash…  
  
Her ‘dream boy’ hurried to open window. He offered helping hand and once Ladybug was inside, he kept her in a hug. She was so surprised, that she even hugged him back for a second or so. After she composed herself, she pushed him away.  
  
“What’s that?” asked with theatrically angry voice.  
  
“I just though, my dreams come true,” answered Adrien sheepishly.  
  
“So your dreams?” Ladybug made one step to him with mischievous smile. “So do you dream about me, Adrien?”  
  
Adrien bended his head on left side, for better observing her. He smiled.  
  
“I fell in love with you when you first time saved my life. There’s probably nothing I’d wish more, than to date with you. But my schoolmate told me something, what unfortunately gives good sense.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“If we two would be observed together on date, somebody working for Hawkmoth could use me as live bait to track down you. And there is also another girl…”  
  
“Another girl?” Ladybug frowned a bit. “Chloé or Kagami? I really hope not Lila Rossi.”  
  
“None of those three,” smirked Adrien. “Lila Rossi is probably mentally ill and I don’t want to mess with her any way. Chloé is my friend from my child time. She was the only one of my age, whom I was allowed to speak, when I wasn’t allowed to left this house. I know, she’s selfish spoiled brat, but even you found something good in her.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“You let her use Bee Miraculous,” Adrien nodded furiously. “As Queen Bee she did some good job. And Kagami, well, she’s better fencer, than me. If I want improve in fencing, I must train with somebody better. And that means either D’Argencourt, or her.”  
  
“So, who’s that mysterious girl?”  
  
“My schoolmate Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” smiled Adrien. “I would recognize her sooner, but it was your fault.”  
  
“My fault?” Ladybug looked on him confused. “How there could be any fault of me?”  
  
“My eyes were blinded by your picture,” half-smiled Adrien. “I later found that, I even named her as ‘Everyday Ladybug’. Unfortunately I’m probably late…”  
  
“Late for what?” asked Ladybug.  
  
“Someone else found that too, how marvelous she is,” Adrien made sad face. “Marinette seems to be in love with Luka Couffain, that blue-haired excuse for musician.”  
  
“You think so?”  
  
“Well, she accepted his invitation for coffee date. What can I do now? Maybe, if I help you to find, who Hawkmoth is, I could have chance with you?”  
  
Ladybug laughed.  
  
“A bit conceited, aren’t you?”  
  
“Maybe,” nodded Adrien. “I guess, you’re here for this paper.”  
  
He found inside of his schoolbag paper with notes about Hawkmoth. Ladybug made a photo by her yo-yo.  
  
“Effective tool,” said Adrien, pointing on it. “May I ask for something?”  
  
“Maybe,” smiled Ladybug. “But right now no date invitation.”  
  
“I have on my mean something totally different,” Adrien frowned. “There is possibility, my father is Hawkmoth.”  
  
“I know,” Ladybug was serious. “But he was akumatized…”  
  
“Same as Queen Bee, Rena Rouge or Carapace. They are miraculous holders and they were akumatized even against their will. IF my father really IS Hawkmoth, he could have preprogramed akuma and used it voluntarily. There’s another problem…”  
  
“What problem?”  
  
“Maybe I’m selfish, but I don’t want be known as son of supernatural lunatic, terrorizing Paris. So if he’s really Hawkmoth, could you think about punishing him without authorities involved into?”  
  
“What do you mean?” Ladybug was even more confused. “You mean left him continue with akumatization of people?”  
  
“No, I mean…” Adrien had evidently problems to find proper words. “My father is wealthy man, with influence. He uses expensive first-class lawyer, Doctor Bornish. He could hardly be sentenced without proper evidence in an kangaroo trial like an TIR driver from eastern Europe.”  
  
“Did you say Doctor Bornish?” Ladybug interrupted him. “I remember that name.”  
  
“Sure. Advocate of rich and influential VIPs. His attorney’s fee is pretty expensive fun. But he’s worth of each euro you pay him. I can easily imagine him asking at court: ‘So you say, in this small gadget is magic capable to force somebody act as villain against his will? How would you wish to demonstrate such a nonsense? And what is evidence? Statement of masked teenager, whose identity is unknown? Whom are you kidding? We’re here adult persons, not children, to believe in such stupid fairy tale.’ That’s one facet of problem. Another one is, if he’s really sentenced, well… All my father’s property, including this place and Gabriel Brand would be confiscated to pay for damage he caused. I planned university studies, but with such background it would be nearly impossible. You can buy happiness for no money, but it’s much more comfortable be unhappy with, than without it.”  
  
“A little bit selfish point of view,” said frowning Ladybug. “What would you wish me to do? Kill your father or what?”  
  
“There’s always a risk of such a scenario in fact. I rather though about confiscating his miraculous and somehow force to reform.”  
  
“I can dispute that with other heroes, but I’m not going to promise anything.”  
  
“Sure, that’s more, than enough. Damn, if only you and Marinette are one person. My life would be so much less complicated…”  
  
Before Ladybug was able to decide to reveal, she IS Marinette, there was knocking on Adrien’s room door.  
  
“Adrien,” Nathalie asked. “Your father needs you for a word.”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	8. Chapter 8)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 8)  
  
  
  
“How are you so sure about their identities, sir?” asked Nathalie.  
  
Gabriel opened an a bit outdate laptop. After his gesture she looked on screen.  
  
“FBI Face Identification Software,” explained her boss. “Simplified, so it works on this old machine, without contacts via internet for updating as well as for snooping.”  
  
“I supposed, this software is only for governmental law-enforcing agencies,” nodded Nathalie. “Isn’t that illegal?”  
  
“Maybe a little bit,” smirked Gabriel. “But it’s not an original program, just a modified version of that. One IT-specialist has teenage daughter with good and expensive taste for fashion. A price of that was one fancy prom-dress. A really good one, I must say. I said that good father, I need it to compare faces of models with photos from masquerade balls…”  
  
Nathalie smiled back. That explains one recent book entry in accounting, where one dress was indicated as barter for software improvement. So here it is…  
  
“So?”  
  
“So,” smiled Gabriel wider. “I compared photos of Chat Noir and Adrien. Confidence of sameness is calculated as 74 percent. Once I found Adrien’s interest in Miss Dupain-Cheng, I compered her photos with Ladybug. The confidence here is even 81 percent. Well, there is still some gap, court of justice would hardly accept it, but for my need it’s enough.”  
  
“Did you compare your own photos?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“With Hawkmoth’s?” shook his head. “Yep, I did. My mask is evidently better, confidence is only 63 percent. But my son hardly has access to this software, I believe.”  
  
“And what about Adrien with Chat Noir side by side?” continued Nathalie.  
  
“You mean this photo?” asked Gabriel, showing photo made by street security camera. “I think now, Adrien tricked one of his fan, boy same tall, to wear this helmet. To fix Adrien’s photo inside is quite easy and thanks to glass shield it’s easy to hide, it’s only photo. I guess, Adrien recruited that boy, manipulated him to act like Adrien and after that he himself got transformed into Chat Noir.”  
  
“Did you find also another heroes, like Rena Rouge for example?”  
  
“Sure. Rena Rouge is Alya Césaire, who runs Ladyblog, with 79 percent confidence. Carapace is problem a bit, but I believe, in real he’s Nino Lahiffe, however in his case confidence was only 67 percent. Chloé Burgeois we know, but I used her as test, she was confirmed with 84 percent confidence. But we’ll not need them, maybe as leveler for intimidate Chat Noir and Ladybug to cooperate.”  
  
“So,” nodded Nathalie. “What’s next? Will we confiscate their Miraculouses?”  
  
“Only if it became necessary,” said Gabriel. “Once I know their identity… I’d rather prefer use corruption, than violence against my only son.”  
  
“Are you going to corrupt Chat Noir and Ladybug?” shrieked Nathalie. “Sir! How?”  
  
“Everybody has his price,” Gabriel’s voice was emotionless. “You only need information to determine that price.”  
  
“And do you know it now?”  
  
“I believe so. Adrien could appreciate return of his mother and confirmation of Ladybug’s identity. I’m sure, Adrien as Chat Noir has really big crush on Ladybug. According my information Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng has also big crush on Adrien. So Ladybug’s price could be future with him. When I play it well, everybody win in fact…”  
  
Nathalie doubted it, but decided not to say it.  
  
“And your price is, sir?”  
  
“My family, that’s quite obvious!”  
  
-IF ONLY you are not so blind to understand, I AM in fact also part of your precious family,- thought Nathalie.  
  
“I have one suggestion, sir.”  
  
“Yes, Nathalie?”  
  
“Allow Adrien come to school like normal student, without bodyguard and car. That could make impression on Chloé Burgeois. But I don’t think, it works well on Marinette. I can instruct his bodyguard to be close for case of necessity. If Adrien is really Chat Noir, he’s more, than capable to protect himself.”  
  
“I don’t like it, but maybe you’re right,” frowned Gabriel. “OK, Nathalie, say Adrien, I need to speak with him.”  
  
“Will you use akuma tomorrow?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“Yep,” nodded Gabriel. “I wish to akumatize that Luka, as he tried to thwart my plans. And as there’s still the gape of possibility that Chat Noir is someone else, not my son. I’ll akumatize somebody in school, to give Adrien either chance either for alibi or for contact true Chat Noir, if I’m wrong…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Adrien turned to Ladybug, he observed her disappearing in window and waving for good-bye. He waved too. Ladybug disappeared in darkness.  
  
She aimed to Master Fu place, as she felt need to consult with him.  
  
Before his door Ladybug de-transformed. After knock Master Fu opened his door so quickly, that she again thought about his ability of telepathy.  
  
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” smiled Master Fu. “What a lovely surprise. What would you need now, so late?”  
  
“Master Fu!” Marinette was unsure, how to formulate her question. “I think, Chat Noir found my identity, or he at least suspects so. And I think, I also know, who he is.”  
  
“OK,” smirked Master Fu. “I’ll not reveal your identity to each other, at least till Hawkmoth is in game. But tell me, what happened.”  
  
“I believe, Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir. I love him for a long time, but he never payed attention on me it that. Well, not until now. He came to me, invited me together with my parents to their place and his father offered me a job I really, really want to accept. But, why he did that? I visited his bedroom as Ladybug…”  
  
“Did you visit bedroom of boy you proclaim to love alone, in night?” Master Fu faked to look shocked, in few seconds he burst in laugh. “In a skintight costume? Excuse me for teasing, Marinette, but maybe there is the simplest possible explanation. You both are teenagers. It means, you’re both able to change your mind in a minute, thanks to hormonal storm…”  
  
“I’M NOT HORMONAL!” shrieked Marinette, just to calm down in a second.  
  
Master Fu only smiled on her.  
  
“You’re excellent Ladybug and Chat Noir also does his job pretty well, so where’s the problem, I don’t understand yet.”  
  
“But, what if Adrien loves me because he KNOWS I’m Ladybug. I want him to love me because of me…”  
  
“I’m sorry to say that, but there is something, what’s named Observer effect. You simply can’t be sure of that any time. There’s always risk, if, and it’s a big ‘IF’, he really knows that. So the only chance is, tell yourself, do you want to date him or not. Do not ask unnecessary details that would only spoil everything.”  
  
“So you recommend me to date with Adrien?” Marinette stared on Master Fu.  
  
“If you want it, I see no harm. But if you want to ask me, whether he is or whether he is not Chat Noir, I will NOT answer that question. Nor Tikki will do that, nor Plagg. Only remember please, even men have feelings. We feel for example hunger…”  
  
“OK,” nodded Marinette, once she stopped laughing. “There’s another problem. Adrien suspects his father to be Hawkmoth and he asked me, to solve the problem with him without authorities involved.”  
  
“Hummm…” Master Fu made pensive noise. “If nobody dies till you with Chat Noir and allies obtain Hawkmoth Miraculous, I’m good with that. Miraculouses holders usually tend to act hidden in shadows, without extra publicity. That works usually better, if too many people do not know too many information, if everything is kept hidden in mist…”  
  
“OK, Master Fu,” smiled Marinette. “I’ll dispute that with other Miraculouses holders to make decision together.”  
  
“Once you know, it’s time for that, come for other Miraculouses. Now good night and sweet dreams, Marinette Dupain-Cheng…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“So, father?” asked Adrien. “What’s up?”  
  
“I never told you, but there’s something you should know. My grandfather, your great grandfather, was a member of La Résistance. He was true hero, who fought even in time, when his neighbors collaborated with Gestapo. Remember, in war and in love, anything is allowed. And no battle is really lost, until you accept being defeated. Nathalie recommended me to allow you to go to school without your bodyguard. Do YOU agree with her?”  
  
“I do, she’s right. Why do you decide that right now?”  
  
“According Nathalie your chances with Miss Dupain-Cheng would be that way better. I’ll instruct your bodyguard be ready to come help you. Better wear an sweatshirt with a hood and pair of sunglasses tomorrow.”  
  
“OK, father,” nodded Adrien, this time pleasantly surprised.  
  
“And for case, things would go… errmm… out of hands, literally meaning… here you have,” said his father and passed him a box of condoms.  
  
“WHAT?!” to say, Adrien was shocked would be big underrating of his consternation.  
  
“Well, I wish to have grandchildren, one proper day,” smirked Gabriel. “But not right now. Good night, Adrien!”  
  
“Good night, father!” Adrien’s voice was flat and expressionless.  
  
Nathalie escorted him to his room. On the way she wrenched that box from his clenched fingers. She examined it.  
  
“As I suspected,” snorted Nathalie. “Almost one year expired. Adrien, that’s really not a good idea your father has. Better hide it somewhere and don’t allow Marinette to see it.”  
  
“What if…”  
  
“If ‘things would go out of your hands’ or if SOMETHING happens?”  
  
“That second if…”  
  
Nathalie gave him quick-witted smile.  
  
“OK, if SOMETHING happens, you’d marry Marinette and I believe, you’ll be great father. And if Gabriel says something, tell him, he gave you expired goods and it ruptured ‘during action’. I hope, he’ll think better of it.”  
  
She observed genuine smile Adrien gave her.  
  
“Look Adrien, you’re clever boy. Remember, use as many compliments towards Marinette just to make her a bit more self-confident. If woman trusts, she is beautiful, she’d mostly look better. Well, at least, I believe, in her case it should work. And off course, use plausible compliments. Invite her for lunch somewhere…”  
  
“Thanks. Good night, Nathalie!”  
  
“Good night, Adrien!”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Plagg observed Adrien during hiding that damned box deep in lowest drawer of his table.  
  
“He’s idiot,” snorted kwami.  
  
“I rather worry, he could be Hawkmoth,” answered Adrien.  
  
“Really?!” small black creature of destruction looked surprised. “Master Fu didn’t warn me. He probably doesn’t know yet about this your suspicion.”  
  
“Plagg, during your existence, you participated in storming of fortress, didn’t you?”  
  
“Sure, many times, on both sides, helping defenders as well as invaders, and also in both situations, with winners as well as with losers. Why are you asking right now?”  
  
“If my father is really Hawkmoth, there must be some hidden place, some ‘Chamber of Secrets’ and I have no fu*king idea, where. I’d need an kwami with ability to search for hidden things. I believe, you know another kwamis and you could recommend, whom to activate.”  
  
Plagg smiled on Adrien.  
  
“Now I wish to have here Ladybug’s kwami,” he said. “I can see, you are maturing to clever young man. There are two good candidates. Barrk, connected to Dog Miraculous, who could scent out hidden, or better Roaar, connected to Tiger Miraculous, whose power is in finding hidden prey.”  
  
“That looks like exactly what I mean!”  
  
“Fine, young hero,” smirked Plagg. “But who will be his holder?”  
  
“I need to think it over.”  
  
“Think it over really well. That power needs to be adjusted by loyalty to you and to other Miraculous holders.”  
  
“You’re right,” said Adrien and finished his homework. “Now we have another agenda.”  
  
“Which one?” question was with visible suspicion.  
  
“Plagg, claws out!” ordered Adrien and as Chat Noir he left his room into night…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“What do you think, Tikki?” asked Marinette.  
  
They just arrived form Master Fu’s place. Girl started work on her homework and scolded on it.  
  
Knock on her window did not surprised her that much, as she almost expected it.  
  
“Hello purrincess, good evening,” said Chat Noir with Cheshire Cat grin on his face.  
  
Marinette sighed a bit, but invited him in…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Chat Noir observed Ladybug, once he heard zipping of her yo-yo in darkness. He ducked and covered himself a bit, just another shadow amongst shadows of night…  
  
As he expected, Ladybug landed on roof of bakery. He tried to use his staff as spy-glass, but he did not observe the moment of her transformation back.  
  
“You’re really good m’lady,” smiled. “But maybe I’m better.”  
  
He waited some five minutes or so, observing, how Marinette struggled with her homework.  
  
He silently landed on her trapdoor and knocked on window.  
  
Marinette’s face expression was priceless.  
  
“Hello purrincess, good evening.”  
  
“Not that I complain, but right now I have a problem with my homework and having boy in black leather skintight costume is not much helpful.”  
  
“Am I distracting you?” Chat Noir smirked, but came to look, what’s the problem.  
  
“OK, here, here, here, and also here are mistakes,” he showed and started to explain.  
  
Once he was explaining physics and mathematical problems, he forget to make stupid jokes. Marinette observed him better. He was really so similar to Adrien…  
  
“Fine,” smiled Chat Noir. “Tomorrow it should be good. Good night, purrincess. I believe, I deserve one small kiss,” with these words he quickly moved to her and kissed her forehead.  
  
Marinette gasped for breath and observed Chat Noir on his escape.  
  
“Good night, silly kitty!”  
  
“I believe, I proved myself to be clever,” smirked Chat Noir.  
  
“In math maybe. See you another time…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Adrien de-transformed in his bedroom, Plagg started to laugh and sing, with disharmonic voice, just another traditional:  
  
“Black is the color  
of my true love's hair  
her lips are like  
some roses fair  
she's the sweetest smile  
and the gentlest hands  
and I love the ground   
where on she stands.”  
  
“Shut up, Plagg!” said Adrien. “Tomorrow we can expect at least two akumas.”  
  
“Why do you think?”  
  
“If my father is really Hawkmoth, he would use somebody in school, just to give me chance to contact Chat Noir. Maybe he suspects me to be Chat Noir, he’s not stupid. And second candidate is Luka.”  
  
“Yea, blue-haired excuse for musician,” laughed Plagg. “Buy me some extra Camembert. Maybe something for quick energy for you, like some chocolate bars…”  
“OK, good night, Plagg!”  
  
“Good night!”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Master Fu observed Agreste mansion. He had mixed feelings. Adrien is good Chat Noir and Master Fu had no idea, his father could be Hawkmoth. Now things could go tricky way quite easy. But they had to try got Hawkmoth’s Miraculous, even by price of broking some family bonds and home peace…  
  
This morning Adrien came out much sooner, than usually. Master Fu told to himself, he’s lucky to come sooner, thus he could contact boy before school. Family bodyguard came few moments later, sat into car, but stayed on place and Adrien, hiding his blond hair under hood of dark grey sweatshirt and eyes under pair of really big sunglasses.  
  
Things looked different that morning. Master Fu suspected, it’s going for some quick changes to happen. Hard to predict, whether good or bad ones…  
  
Adrien came on his way for some shopping. Master Fu observed, he purchased several portions of Camembert, hermetical Tupperware dose and some chocolate.  
  
-It seems, boy gets ready for fighting today,- thought Master Fu.  
  
Once there was no witness to observe or listen in, he came to Adrien.  
  
“Good morning Chat Noir, we need to talk!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	9. Chapter 9)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 9)  
  
  
  
“Master Fu!” Adrien smiled. “Nice to meet you! I expected to see you rather tomorrow.”  
  
“I do my best to act unexpected way, it could keep you alive a little bit longer, young man.”  
  
“Fine,” nodded Adrien. “Could we speak it on my way to school? I have strange feeling. Today there will be akuma attack.”  
  
“Why do you think so?”  
“I suspect my father to be Hawkmoth. And as there are some plans my father schemed, in which akuma would be helpful. I think, he’ll use it.”  
  
“What plans?”  
  
“Well, that’s complicated a bit,” frowned Adrien.  
  
“We have time,” smiled Master Fu.  
  
“In fact not that much,” protested Adrien. “Only if you agree to continue a bit another way,” he switched to mandarin Chinese. “There’s girl. As usual… And she’s going to have a coffee date with another guy. I think, I slowly come to love her. I also believe, she’s Ladybug.”  
  
Master Fu smiled:  
  
“So I’m your Chinese tutor right now, again?” as native speaker he had less problems with language, but he admired quick mind of his ally. “But why your father, as Hawkmoth, would send akuma to school?”  
  
“He wants me to date that girl too. Well, for his own purposes, mainly because she’s really excellent fashion designer. And during akuma attack I could ask Chat Noir to bash up that other boy black and blue.”  
  
-Interesting, Ladybug said nothing about that other boy,- thought amused Master Fu.  
  
“So, that’s why you were shopping?”  
  
“Sure,” Adrien nodded. “Plagg needs Camembert for energy and I need Plagg for effective battle action. By the way, I’ll need activate Tiger Miraculous soon.”  
  
“So you have also a plan?” asked Master Fu.  
  
“I think I have a cunning plan,” nodded Adrien.  
  
“Is it as cunning as a Fox that used to be professor of cunning at Oxford University?*” was inevitable question.  
  
(*– orig. from Blackadder Series)  
  
They both laughed after joke…  
  
“I hope, you don’t demand on returning Miraculous after what happened?” said Adrien.  
  
“Now, you’ve doing excellent work as Chat Noir, even better, than I expected, so I believe, you deserve for some bonus.”  
  
“Like having a piece of happiness with Marinette?”  
  
“If she’s good with that, then yes,” Master Fu’s smile was even wider.  
  
“Fine, we’re too near to our school, better if nobody see us talking together, even in Chinese. Seems to me, there’s somebody after me and I don’t think I’m paranoid.”  
  
“Even if you are paranoid, there still could be somebody after you…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“I was with Chat Noir on evening date on roof and I caught a cold,” fabled Lila, who returned after almost week long absence. “Off course, that’s something I can’t tell Miss Bustiere…”  
  
“Like romantic date?” asked Rose goggle-eyed.  
  
“Hardly so!” snorted Chloé. “What day was it?”  
  
“A week ago,” said Lila, a bit bewildered.  
  
“Sabrina, show her!” ordered Chloé after burst of wild laugh.  
  
“That day they together with Ladybug caught akuma naming herself Sphinx,” smiled Chloé’s ‘personal assistant’. “I doubt, he would have ability to be on two places in one moment.”  
  
“Basic rule for lying is credulity of such falsehood,” smirked Chloé. “My schoolmates are mostly silly, but not that silly…”  
  
“You don’t trust me!” shrieked Lila and with cry escaped from classroom.  
  
“Was that necessary?” asked Alya.  
  
“If I shouldn’t use a hammer to beat some reason into her empty skull, yes, it was totally inevitable,” Chloé was self-satisfied.  
  
“She could get akumatised,” said Alya.  
  
“Nothing new with this shrew!” Chloé gave her arrogant smile. “Don’t worry, I’m heroine, I’ll save you.”  
  
Adrien observed that with his usual unconcerned smile. His hope was rather in fact, Marinette was still not there. As usual, one could say…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Lila Rossi ran through school with crying. When she observed dark butterfly, she offered her ring to infection.  
  
“Nice to hear you again Lila!” Hawkmoth’s voice was sweet like a poisoned honey. “I have something for you today. Shéhérazade, they dared to dislike your bedtime stories? I give you power to give them your lesson!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	10. Chapter 10)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 10)  
  
  
  
“So Lila, again,” Nathalie rolled her eyes in disgust.  
  
“She is so perfectly evil by herself and on the other hand so silly to understand, she is only an expendable pawn,” Gabriel being Hawkmoth that moment shook his head.  
  
“So Shéhérazade, once you say ‘Once Upon a Time in Baghdad’, whoever hears it, he drops sleeping. It will not work only on Adrien Agreste. I have another job for him. And as usual, I need Miraculouses of Chat Noir and Ladybug. So, show me, what you’re capable for.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Miss Bustiere entered classroom and observed usual havoc. Not for the first time she thought, this is work rather for animal handler.  
  
“On your seats! Now!” ordered.  
  
In same moments appeared Lila Rossi in outfit similar to oriental belly dancer. Stripping away veils, there was not a big part of her skin covered in fact.  
  
“Lila, that’s exactly VERY inappropriate outfit for this school,” said teacher.  
  
“Take care everybody, she’s an akuma!” shrieked Chloé and that was the last thing she did that time.  
  
“Bonjour, ya cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!* Once Upon a Time in Baghdad,” said Shéhérazade and with smile she observed, how almost everybody fell into sleep…  
  
(*orig. The Simpsons)  
  
“Adrien, Hawkmoth said, he has for you another job,” said Shéhérazade, a bit deranged smile on her face.  
  
“What job?” asked suspiciously Adrien.  
  
“He didn’t say,” Shéhérazade with dreamy face expression moved to him.  
  
When she was almost on contact distance, Adrien decided he must do something.  
  
“Where’s your akuma? I’ll tell Ladybug and Chat Noir to help you…”  
  
“I’ll need their miraculouses,” Shéhérazade’s eyes were a bit unfocused.  
  
Adrien tried to grab her right hand and twist it over her back. He quickly learned, without transformation he’s no adversary for her. Shéhérazade quickly came loose and next he remembered was his being smashed on wall. He used ‘hare’s wisdom’ and escaped…  
  
Once out classroom he used his phone to place warning on Ladyblog:  
  
WARNING! NEW AKUMA – LILA ROSSI AKA SHÉHÉRAZADE IN COLLÈGE FRANÇOISE DUPONT  
ABILITY – PHYSICAL STRENGHT, WITH CATCHPRASE ‘ONCE UPON A TIME IN BAGHDAD’ SHE IS ABLE FORCE ALMOST EVERYBODY TO SLEEP  
RECOMMENDATION – CLOGG YOUR EARS AND HER MOUTH  
AKUMA IN UNKNOWN OBJECT  
  
After sending that on blog he moved to nearest covered recess and woke up Plagg:  
  
“New akuma, Plagg, claws out!”  
  
Chat Noir used his baton as phone. No surprise, Ladybug had only voice mail.  
  
“M’lady, I need you in school Collège Françoise Dupont. Lila Rossi is akumatised. Again. According Adrien Agreste she has ability to force you to sleep by one sentence. If you could, buy some earplugs, it would be helpful.”  
  
Chat Noir returned to classroom to observe situation, whether was the right time for his action or whether to wait for Ladybug. To his surprise he observed ‘Shéhérazade’ dancing in classroom in rhythm of melody no one else heard. It was more, than only creepy…  
  
In that moment he noticed Marinette, who noticed him same moment. Chat Noir placed his index finger crossing his lips. Marinette nodded.  
  
He quickly moved to her:  
  
“Another akuma!” whispered directly to her ear. “She can force you to sleep by one simple sentence. Purrincess, please! Go and hide somewhere! NOW!”  
  
“Whom?” Marinette asked also whispering.  
  
“Lila, as usual, I’d almost say,” snorted Chat Noir. “I tried to call Ladybug, but she’s in her civilian self. Hopefully she reads Ladyblog, Adrien placed warning there.”  
  
“OK, Kitty, she’ll be here soon, for sure,” smiled girl and ran away.  
  
-Off course, m’lady,- thought Chat Noir.  
  
Melody in Lila’s deviant mind probably changed, as she now rotate in picking up speed.  
  
Marinette found same covered recess Adrien used a moment ago.  
  
“Tikki, did you hear that?” asked her kwami.  
  
“Sure, that girl needs being reformed.”  
  
“Rather ass-kicked,” snorted Marinette. “Tikki, spots on!”  
  
As Ladybug she quickly joined Chat Noir.  
  
“So Kitty, what do we have here?”  
  
“As you ask m’lady, I believe, you don’t have earplugs,” smiled Chat Noir.  
  
“No, I just met Marinette and as she informed me about new akuma, I’m here as quick, as I was able.”  
  
“Fine, m’lady. Lila Rossi named herself Shéhérazade now. Well, costume could fit the concept of girl in harem. She could knock you down with one sentence – ‘Once Upon a Time in Baghdad’, what makes thinks tricky a bit.”  
  
Ladybug observed akumatised girl for a moment.  
  
“Is she dancing?”  
  
“The answer seems to me as obvious,” nodded Chat Noir.  
  
“It’s only me, who feels it as spooky?”  
  
“Completely agree, m’lady.”  
  
“So let’s explain her one specific rule. Do not piss Ladybug.”  
  
She breathed several time in and out.  
  
“Lucky Charm!” her catchphrase was quieter, than usually.  
  
As respond they obtained two pairs of earplugs. Chat Noir used his pair, but once Ladybug did not observe him, he placed it to his pocket. If Shéhérazade’s spell did not work on him as on Adrien, he assumed on Chat Noir it should not work either.  
  
Ladybug showed him by gesticulation to go as first and to cover left part of classroom. Once they moved to place, they observed Shéhérazade disappeared. They made pantomimic faces of confusion, but continued in plan.  
  
Chat Noir after enter classroom checked space hidden by door, but Shéhérazade was not there. He pointed to open window and pointed on himself like ‘I’ll go to check it.’  
  
Ladyug nodded in agreement and moved on right and up to find better overview. That was mistake, as Shéhérazade hided herself under bench in second row and she was quick, as akumatised villains tend to be. Shéhérazade hit ladybug and knocked her down for a moment in same time, when Chat Noir looked out of the opened window. Thankfully he heard the noise and turned just in time to observe that.  
  
Shéhérazade removed one earplug from Ladybug’s left ear. During catfight she whispered:  
  
“Once Upon a Time in Baghdad!”  
  
When Shéhérazade tried to steal Ladybug’s earring, she got hit by Chat Noir’s stick.  
  
“No way!”  
  
Shéhérazade tried saying her spell several times, but Chat Noir lied to her:  
  
“Don’t waste your breath! I don’t hear you.”  
  
Now, with powers guaranteed by transformation it was easier for Chat Noir to overpower akumized girl and unceremoniously he banged her head towards floor several times, till she was knocked unconscious. After that he untied and removed her shoes, using shoelaces to tie her hands over her back. One of her sock he placed into Shéhérazade’s mouth, second he used to bind around, preventing spiting of sock out to keep her mouth clogged. That way he disarmed her most powerful weapon in her speaking.  
  
Chat Noir looked around and checked, everybody was either sleeping or unconscious. There was no other way, he kneeled to ladybug and cupped her cheeks.  
  
“Sorry m’lady, I’d prefer it another way,” said and kissed her on her lips.  
  
Ladybug was probably dreaming about something pleasant, as she in first moment hugged him and kissed his back.  
  
Surprise was strong, as once she regained consciousness, she pushed him away. Spell breaking worked. One could say, even better, than was necessary.  
  
Everybody around (except for regain Miss Bustier and ‘Shéhérazade’) had their phones in hand, making photos.  
  
“I worry m’lady, these photos will become viral,” said Chat Noir.  
  
“You bet!” said Alya with wide smile.  
  
“Silly Kitty!” was Ladybug’s usual answer.  
  
“Don’t be bad on Chat Noir!” said to common surprise Rose. “He broke the spell causing all us to sleep. It must be true True-Love-Kiss and it works only, if love is mutual.”  
  
“One may every time rely on sweet Rose’s romantic mind…” snorted Kim, what caused Juleka to punch him by fist.  
  
“M’lady, we have here still akuma to find,” Chat Noir was not used to be voice of reason.  
  
“Right!” nodded Ladybug. “But it’s not over!”  
  
“As you like it,” smiled Chat Noir. “Any clue to akumatized object?”  
  
Shéhérazade stared daggers to all vectors.  
  
“Here seems to be a small butterfly,” said Miss Bustier. “Isn’t it what you’re looking for?”  
  
She pointed to one ring on Shéhérazade’s right hand.  
  
“Right,” said Chat Noir.  
  
He removed ring from clenched hand with using of some torture, but finally the ring was on floor and he could say: “Cataclysm!” and destroyed it.  
  
Ladybug was a bit weakened and her first attempt to catch akuma failed.  
  
“Maybe try to repair everything before catching it,” smiled Chat Noir and passed her his pair of earplugs. “By the way,” he turned to Miss Bustier. “I’d recommend to ask for psychiatric examination of Lila Rossi. She’s probably pathological liar. Now do your spell, m’lady!” he turned back to Ladybug, ignoring angry starring of silenced ex-villain.  
  
“You’re right, Kitty,” said Ladybug and threw all earplugs upstairs. “Miraculous Ladybug.”  
  
“No more evil doing for you, little akuma!” used her catchphrase Ladybug again and this time she successfully yo-yoed escaping insect. “Time to de-evilize!”  
  
Before she was able to release butterfly, her earring beeped and Chat Noir grabbed her.  
  
“You’re to de-transform, m’lady!” he moved her out of classroom.  
  
Miss Bustier observed Lila, whose socks, as well as shoes, returned back to more proper place and whose outfit was normal for student now.  
  
“Lila, I’ll escort you to Principal Damocles,” decided teacher. “Alya, keep here order for a moment, please.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Outside of classroom Chat Noir produced entomological killing jar and placed purified akuma inside.  
  
“Today we should meet professor Lefebvre.”  
  
“Chat, I maybe will be short of time this afternoon, do it yourself.”  
  
“OK, m’lady. Go to de-transform now.”  
  
Tikki dropped transformation literally once Marinette was around nearest corner.  
  
“That was too closed,” said kwami.  
  
“True Tikki,” said Marinette, patted small creature’s head and gave her a chocolate biscuit.  
  
Tikki ate it in Marinette’s purse…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Adrien de-transformed, Plagg laughed and flied in circles around him:  
  
“I though, you do not beat girls!”  
  
“She was akumatised villain!” said Adrien and clogged Plagg’s mouth by piece of Camembert. “It was unfortunately necessary. But it was also in one moment funny and spooky.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
In Principal* Damocles’ office Miss Bustier presented Lila with clarification, what had happened in her class.  
  
(* author’s note – In Czech language word Principal means strictly circus director. Coming from what tends to happen around Collège Françoise Dupont, not so big difference here…)  
  
“So Chat Noir recommended you to ask for psychiatric examination of Miss Lila Rossi? Interesting, unfortunately it’s not in my authority to order that, I can only recommend it to her mother. I’ll call her right now and ask her to come here. So now, young lady, return to your class and wait, till I’ll send for you!”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Adrien met Marinette right before door to classroom. She seemed like not being ready to enter.  
  
“What’s up, Mari?”  
  
“I’ve met Chat Noir, he ordered me to hide and later Ladybug told me, it’s safe to return. But it’s almost half of lecture late…”  
  
“Don’t worry. It’s after akuma. Just let’s in!” said Adrien and grabbed her hand to pull her into classroom.  
  
Marinette instinctively interweaved their fingers together, what Adrien found as pleasant.  
  
He opened door into classroom, where low whisper changed into total silence, followed by wolf-howling. Adrien bended his head to check, who’s that idiot, wanting the class checked by another teacher in Miss Bustier absence.  
  
He was not surprised, recognizing Kim. When Adrien moved his left hand to show him erected middle finger, Marinette grabbed his left hand and whispered to his ear:  
  
“Ignore him!”  
  
As that gest looked rather like she kissed Adrien, it caused even more havoc. Nino moved himself to Marinette’s place, letting both to sit side by side.  
  
Just a minute or so later Miss Bustier returned to classroom with Lila, who did not look guilty at all, rather angry.  
  
“As big part of lecture was lost due to akuma attack, I have to ask you read at home pages 97 up to 108 and write an essay explaining importance of Jules Verne as technical and scientific visionary. You can say thank Lila kindly for that.”  
  
Chloé starred daggers to Lila:  
  
“Oh, thank you really much, you ninny.”  
  
Miss Bustier raised up one of her eyebrows, but did not comment that.  
  
Next lecture was mathematics, thanks to Adrien’s giving her hints Marinette had better grade, than she was used to.  
  
After English with Miss Bustier ended, teacher asked:  
  
“Adrien, for a word!”  
  
“Yes, Miss Bustier?”  
  
Teacher made Adrien to move more far from other students.  
  
“Be careful, Adrien!”  
  
“Pardon me, Miss Bustier?”  
  
“Once you jumping all around in black leather, be careful, I hate idea of speaking on your funeral.”  
  
“I’m really sorry, but I have no clue…”  
  
“Stop it!” Miss Bustier looked irritated. “Off course I KNOW, you’re Chat Noir.”  
  
“That must be a mistake,” said Adrien, panicking. “Who else thinks that same…”  
  
“You mean who else know?” teacher laughed a bit. “Well Missis Mendeleev knows too. She’s even cleverer, that most of you here is able to imagine. The only blind here is Principal Damocles, what a surprise.”  
  
When some students, with Marinette as first neared to them, Miss Bustier said more loudly:  
  
“If you have a romantic relation with Marinette, I have no problem with that. But please, in your free time and out of school preferably.”  
  
Marinette blushed hearing that. Adrien acted decisively. He came to Marinette and grabbed her hand again. He whispered into her ear:  
  
“Let’s go!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	11. Chapter 11)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 11)  
  
  
  
“Where?” asked Marinette.  
  
“May I invite you somewhere for lunch?” answered Adrien by his own question.  
  
“My parents expect me for lunch. But maybe I CAN invite YOU, if you’re not scared by Weredad. What do you think, Adrien?”  
  
“Works for me!”  
  
They observed Lila, who was passing Chloé.  
  
“So you decided to be my enemy,” whispered Lila into Chloé’s ear during that. “You’ll regret it!”  
  
Chloé was not Marinette, to stay calm or to move back. By left hand she grabbed Lila’s jacket and by right hand she slapped her face strongly enough, to make Lila sit on her arse. People used underestimate Chloé, but she was training some gymnastics and she helped as superheroine Queen Bee, so she was in fact much stronger, than people though…  
  
“Look foxie, don’t dare to threaten me another time. Ask anybody, I have no mercy with utterly ridiculous idiots like you.”  
  
Chloé gave Lila another hit by opened palm to forehead, so liary girl ended lying on floor. Chloé finally ‘gently’ stepped on her chest, placing her foot just between Lila’s ‘woman’s attributes’ forcing her to stay downstairs.  
  
“Lay down!”  
  
Incoming Miss Bustier observed scene.  
  
“It is extremely inappropriate Chloé,” said teacher. “She…”  
  
“She got exactly, what doctor prescribed her,” said Chloé without hesitation. “Miss Bustier, she’s simply pain in ass and there’s no excuse to tolerate her lies and threats.”  
  
“Pardon me, Chloé, she threatened you?!”  
  
“Miss Bustier, it’s just mine and her problem to solve. And I’m perfectly capable to solve it without any innocent being harmed. Right now I do pedagogy in Makarenko style.”  
  
Miss Bustier starred on Chloé, like if she observed her first time…  
  
When Chloé observed on the other hand Adrien hand in hand with Marinette, she frowned and pointed on black-haired girl:  
  
“You wined just only first round. We’ll see, who’s to win the whole match!”  
  
“I guess, let’s better move away,” commented Adrien, whispering into Marinette’s ear.  
  
“True.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Hawkmoth smiled with satisfaction.  
  
“Did she succeed?” asked surprised Nathalie.  
  
“Off course not. But she was never expected to succeed. But either Adrien as Chat Noir will now deal with Luka the musician. Or if I’m wrong, he had good chance to ask for that true Chat Noir. Now I need use an akuma to watch over Marinette. Before Luka appears on scene, hopefully Adrien could succeed manipulate her to refuse him.”  
  
Nobody but Hawkmoth knew, there was nest with akuma colony in school attic at Collège Françoise Dupont, at least Hawkmoth thought so that time…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“Marinette, will you have time on Sunday?” asked Adrien on way to her family’s bakery.  
  
“I guess so, why?”  
  
“I’ll have a photoshoot and I’d be glad to have you there. By the way, will you agree to be my plus one, once we’ll go together to Halloween party next Saturday?”  
  
“Adrien?” Marinette was uncertain, whether to enjoy going hand in hand with him and his offers, or whether she should better demand on some answers.  
  
She was almost able to feel observing glances from people on street…  
  
“Yes, Marinette?”  
  
“Why me, why now?”  
  
“I worry, I don’t get you.”  
  
“I mean, why did you decide offer me, something almost like a date right now?”  
  
“Would you wish to consider it as date? Great! I hope, you’ll enjoy time together, as I like it a lot.” Adrien gave her his usual kind-hearted smile, which made Marinette almost got angry.  
  
She punched his right shoulder by her fist, what caused Adrien laugh a bit. His smile was even wider.  
  
“Is something wrong?”  
  
“Arrrghh…” Increased level of adrenaline caused Marinette she lost her usual inability to speak with Adrien. “I can’t understand, why did you chose me and why did you offer dating me just right now?!”  
  
“Aha, this thing… I believe, you heard my father, when he told you not to underestimate yourself. I noticed, you’re really marvelous, always caring and kindhearted. Plus, did I mention, you look really beautiful?”  
  
Marinette, hearing that, stumbled. Adrien did not let her fall down, he quickly looped his right arm around her hips and tightened her to his own body.  
  
Marinette frowned a bit and observed him for a while. She did not expect so fast reaction…  
  
“Are you OK?” asked Adrien with his permanent smile. “If you need my assistance, maybe we should be together as often, as possible.”  
  
He forced her walk with his arm around her hips and she was unsure, what to think about that. Once she nodded, Adrien laughed? loosen clinch in his arm, and let her return to walking hand in hand with him.  
  
“OK, interesting idea,” smiled Marinette. “I mean being together. I could accept your explanation, why me,” she made herself to calm down. “But why now, why not just year or two ago?”  
  
“It would sound stupid,” Adrien frowned a bit.  
  
“Yea?”  
  
“Errrmm…” he was embarrassed. “Max in fact has a point.”  
  
“Like, you are in love with Ladybug? Really?”  
  
“Yep,” nodded Adrien. “From moment she saved my life I’ve been dreaming about asking her for a date. I know, it sounds pretty stupid and childish.”  
  
Marinette gave him sour half-smile.  
  
“Am I replacement for Ladybug of kind?”  
  
“You’re NO replacement! NO WAY! I just needed a bit more time to recognize the true you. And my father was surprisingly helpful one single time. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I mean find, whether you’d agree to date with me and also to show my father, I can arrange necessary issues.”  
  
“Sounds almost too good to be true…”  
  
“Do you need a dark underhand tone in that? OK, I have one.”  
  
“WHAT?!”  
  
“Yesterday during evening I had a very special visitor.”  
  
“Oh, really? Whom?”  
  
“Ladybug,” Adrien smirked. “She somehow found, I try to find out, who Hawkmoth is. Honestly say, I have no idea how could she get know. And I acted ridiculously. I tried to kiss her. She is really quick and I had no chance in fact. Well, I hope, it’s not that bad, but truth is, I will always love her. Without let’s name it errrrm… …‘benefits’.”  
  
Marinette laughed.  
  
“Should I be jealous on superheroine?”  
  
“Depends on you,” Adrien made exaggeratedly guilty face. “But now I really wish to find out now, whether we two could be together.”  
  
“OK, MAYBE I could give you another chance,” Marinette smirked back. “But… Didn’t you just forget somebody else?”  
  
“Pardon me, whom?”  
  
“Kagami and Chloé.”  
  
“I told you,” Adrien let fall his smile. “I know Chloé from my little childhood. I know, she’s really, really not perfect, but I do NOT want to down her. You know her mother, she’s just coldhearted harpy. Maybe I’m sentimental, but I’ll support Chloé, well, only reasonably. No dating. Not at all! Even Ladybug found something good in her. She allowed her to use Bee Miraculous. And Kagami, yep, I made a mistake with her. Just once. She’s friend, maybe she wants to be even more, I’m not sure. As she’s better… well… honestly, much better fencer, than I’m. I need to train with her to improve in fencing.”  
  
“You did not ask me about Luka,” said Marinette. “Why?”  
  
“Maybe I worry a bit of answer,” explained Adrien. “I simply want to look into future and set mistakes from past somehow right. What happened cannot be undone. Would YOU prefer to be rather with Luka, than with me?”  
  
Marinette noticed how Adrien sneaked out from trap she prepared for him.  
  
“So you are not mad at me, that I agreed to meet him for a coffee?”  
  
“I’m mad at myself, that I didn’t ask you out sooner and that I did that stupid mistake with Kagami. So I only pray you not to choose Luka over me.”  
  
Marinette observed him in silence for a while.  
  
“There’s another problem,” frowned Adrien. “Possible really big one…”  
  
“And it is?”  
  
“My father is possible well-founded suspect to be Hawkmoth. I don’t know what to do, if it’s really truth. I don’t want to be known as son of lunatic terrorist. I asked Ladybug for a favor. If he really IS Hawkmoth, to manage things without authorities involved. I’d prefer in future do indoor work without heavy lifting* and being that way infamous would be destructive for my plans with university.”  
  
(*orig. Terry Pratchett)  
  
“So you’d prefer rather lynching your father or what?” Marinette looked in consternation.  
  
“As last possibility, if somebody dies in future, well, maybe. Right now, just the group of superheroes could do some kind of punishment.”  
  
Marinette made sad smile.  
  
“And Gabriel Agreste was so long my favorite fashion designer. Why do you think, that he could be Hawkmoth?”  
  
“He fits the profile, well, not alone in Paris. But today, when Shéhérazade appeared in classroom, her spell did not work on me. She said, Hawkmoth has another job for me. But what kind of job could crazy villain have for me?”  
  
“Maybe you should model his new akuma outfits,” snorted Marinette, what made Adrien burst in laugh.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
They had no idea of being observed. Hawkmoth used akuma eyes. Marinette looked to be satisfied being with his son. Maybe they can make a deal without necessity to blackmail her…  
  
Luka Couffain came to Marinette’s class. He hoped he could invite her for lunch, just to observe, she left school hand in hand with Adrien. Luka shadowed them long enough to see blond model boy keeping HIS girl around her hips. A minute or so later rich blond boy burst in laugh. Luka’s hate and jealousy were almost palpable. Hawkmoth felt it thanks to akuma. He could use black butterfly right now and turn Luka into monstrous villain, but there was no covered place for his son to hide before transformation. Before Hawkmoth found evidence, his son is Chat Noir he did his best to reveal Chat Noir’s identity to publicity, but right now, secret will be more helpful for his aims, same with Ladybug.  
  
“Plans go better, than I expected,” laughed Hawkmoth. Nathalie nodded in agreement.  
  
Master Fu observed teenage couple from position near to main entrance.  
  
“Good job, Master,” said Wayzz.  
  
“Yea Wayzz,” smirked Fu. “Chat Noir is clever enough to sustain everything. Now it’s in their hands…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
In Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie Adrien admired, he was invited almost like already member of family.  
  
“Mama, is problem, that I invited Adrien for lunch?”  
  
“Not at all, Mari,” smiled Tom.  
  
“Do you like China, Adrien?” asked Sabine.  
  
“I LOVE China!” answered boy. “Much better, than rabbit food our chef usually makes.”  
  
‘The meat of five spices’ or how it should be translated was with rice noodles and was really tasty.  
  
Adrien made a deep bow and commented in Mandarin Chinese:  
  
“You are really beyond excellent cook!”  
  
Sabine smiled, but rebuked him to speak in French, so others could also understand…  
  
When they finished with food and Adrien with Marinette helped by washing dishes, Adrien decided, they had to run back to school.  
  
“That was amazing,” said Adrien during their run.  
  
“May I as you something personnel?” asked Marinette.  
  
“Try it,” nodded Adrien. “But excuse me, if I decide not to answer.”  
  
“OK. Did you ever try to date with modelling girls?”  
  
“No, most of them have no brain.”  
  
“You mean no bra?”  
  
Adrien was surprised. Marinette just made a pun.  
  
“That’s also true,” smiled. “They usually do not need that.”  
  
“WHAT?”  
  
“Well,” Adrien made evil grin on his face. “Once there is nothing to be covered, why to cover that NOTHING.”  
  
Marinette tripped up and again only thanks to Adrien’s quick reaction she did not fall.  
  
“That was a really dirty joke, Mr. Agreste!” she said with overacting indignant grimace.  
  
“But it’s true. My father said, it’s because big part of fashion designers are not into girls. So they prefer girl models with boyish body form.”  
  
“WHAT?”  
  
“Well,” Adrien frowned. “Beauty business is in fact dirty one, if you can look under its surface. I could say, I’m protected by my father’s famous name. Plus, my father needed me to learn some kung-fu for self-defense. Once you’ll be in this milieu, better stay as closed to me as possible. If I declare you as my girlfriend, most of bastards would not mess with you wrong way.”  
  
Marinette stared on him for a moment in disbelief.  
  
“Losing illusions?” nodded Adrien. “Better this way, without really painful experience.”  
  
“I never thought…”  
  
“Well, even the most beautiful rose has its roots fertilized with shits.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
In the entrance hall of school they met Principal Damocles together with Miss Bustier talking with Lila Rossi and middle-aged woman, who was most probably her mother.  
  
“So here we have Adrien Agreste, you may ask him yourself,” said Miss Bustier.  
  
“What’s wrong?” asked Adrien.  
  
“My daughter told me, you are her boyfriend,” Mrs. Rossi was ashamed, seeing boy had in hand with another girl.  
  
“The only moment, I was somehow closed with her, was, when she broke into my house, being akumatized as Volpina,” said Adrien firmly. “Thankfully I succeeded to escape, so she used illusion of me to trick Ladybug.”  
  
“WHAT?” Mrs. Rossi looked like after cold shower. “I mean, how would you prove that?”  
  
“Well, once Ladybug will have an press conference, you may ask her,” said Adrien with stern grimace on face. “If you ask my point of view, Lila should be examined by skilled psychiatrist to determine proper diagnosis and treatment.”  
  
Adrien decided to ignore seething grimaces of both Rossis and added:  
  
“If you could excuse us, we have another lecture in less, than five minutes, so we must hurry. I wish you to have a good day.”  
  
Principal Damocles waved his hand to show Adrien to leave the place.  
  
They were out of hearing, when Marinette forced Adrien to stop. He looked into her eyes with untold question.  
  
“You didn’t tell them about Lila’s kiss that make you sleep!” said Marinette. “Why?”  
  
“And how do you know about that?” asked Adrien. “I didn’t say about that anybody.”  
  
“Well, Ladybug told me…” Marinette was evidently unsure.  
  
“Ach so…” smiled Adrien. “We should discuss these things better later, without necessity to hurry somewhere.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Nino turned to Alya:  
  
“Am I hallucinating or are there coming Marinette together with Adrien like couple?”  
  
“As I see the same, from morning something happened for sure.”  
  
Mrs. Mendeleiev entered classroom right after that:  
  
“On your seats! Now!”  
  
As Nino had his things on Marinette’s place, Adrien whispered into her ear a bit equivocal:  
  
“Seems we have chemistry together!”  
  
Mrs. Mendeleiev raised her left eyebrow, seeing on him:  
  
“Mr. Agreste, once you placed yourself so conveniently with Miss Dupain-Cheng, maybe you could help her with understanding schoolwork, so her grade could improve a little bit at least.”  
  
Adrien silently nodded.  
  
“Fine, so who of you does know, which of Uranium isotopes is usable for controlled nuclear chain reaction?”  
  
Sabrina, Adrien, and Max raised their hands.  
  
“Miss Raincomprix!”  
  
“Uranium-235. For Nuclear power plant grade 2 up 4 % is sufficient, for nuclear weapon 95 % is required.”  
  
“Thanks. What other isotopes are usable? Mr. Agreste?”  
  
“Uranium-238, if using it as source to produce Plutonium-239 or less often 238.”  
  
“OK. So today about Transuranium elements, starting with Neptunium…”  
  
After afternoon lectures Marinette said to Adrien:  
  
“Excuse me, I go to broke one man’s heart.”  
  
“You mean Luka?”  
  
“Yep. Do you trust me?”  
  
“Sure. Do you want me somewhere near?”  
  
“Better no.”  
  
With that Marinette left place. Adrien stood for a moment, thinking about right place to transform, when Chloé moved to him:  
  
“Adrikins, why did you chose her over me?”  
  
“Maybe because she’s not only beautiful girl, but also kindhearted person.”  
  
“But Adrikins!”  
  
“Chloé please,” Adrien frowned. “I will always support you, as we are friends as long as I remember, but I am not going to date with you. For sure not.”  
  
“If you change your mind, I’ll give you last chance to come to your senses. I’ll have no dance partner for Halloween party next Saturday. I know, Gabriel Brand wrote her as staff member, so I guess, she works for your father now, but she can stay on being his employee.”  
  
“Chloé, please, not that way.”  
  
With these words he left blond girl and found, Marinette succeeded to disappear from his range of vision. Help came from probably most unexpected side…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“One day soon I’ll akumatize Chloé again,” growled Hawkmoth.  
  
“What’s wrong?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“She made Adrien to delay, so Marinette is nowhere to see,” explained Hawkmoth.  
  
“You have one akuma shadowing her, am I right?” said his assistant. “Now you observe him by another. Use third one as indicator, which way he should follow her.”  
  
“Remind me to increase your salary Nathalie!”  
  
Hawkmoth made some gesticulation with his fingers…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Adrien observed well-known dark butterfly some three meters from him, slowly flying to hidden niche on his school wall.  
  
-WHAT THE HECK!?!- though Adrien in total disbelief.  
  
But he followed moth to that place.  
  
“Am I the only, who consider it strange?” asked Plagg, when butterfly escaped.  
  
“Seems to me, my father is not only Hawkmoth, he possibly also knows, I’m Chat Noir, or at least he suspects me.”  
  
“It probably also means, he sent another akuma to attack Luka the blue-haired-excuse for musician,” snorted small creature of destruction.  
  
“And Marinette promised to refuse him…”  
  
“What will make him susceptible. Sure.”  
  
“OK. Plagg, claws out!”  
  
As Chat Noir he jumped higher up on the wall, out of sight of usual Parisians. Akuma appeared few meters from him, like if it waited for him…  
  
After few minutes of chasing they ended close to a sidewalk café, where Chat Noir observed Marinette in argument with Luka…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“No Luka,” said Marinette. “I already have dance partner for Halloween Party. So no, I’ll not go there with you.”  
  
Marinette passed banknote to waitress. It was not enough for both coffee, so waitress easily understood, girl wishes to pay for her coffee herself…  
  
Luka opened his wallet and in same moment well-known dark butterfly flied into, visibly for everybody around.  
  
“Hello, I am Hawkmoth!” almost purred strange voice in his head. “Now, what will we do together?”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	12. Chapter 12)

Chapter 12)  
  
  
  
“With HIM?” asked Luka, ignoring voice in his head.  
  
He changed into improved copy of Adrien Agreste, well, a bit older, taller, more masculine, and more muscular.  
  
“HOW DARE YOU USE POWERS WAY I DID NOT ALLOW YOU TO USE!” screamed Hawkmoth in his head.  
  
With few twisting of his fingers, user of Moth Miraculous Hawkmoth was able to cause extreme pain in Luka’s head.  
  
Chat Noir observed scene just for a fraction of second before he ran there.  
  
Hawkmoth was surprised. Luka in anger and pain kicked him out of his mind. He changed again into different person. Now he has an outfit of Assassin, with hood and with long dagger in his right hand.  
  
“I’m Sicarius*!” he shrieked. “You broke my heart, I’ll stab your!”  
  
(*Sica is short sword or large dagger used in old times in northeastern Mediterranean. Literally murderer armed with dagger.)  
  
Hawkmoth made several attempts to take control over him, but all of them failed.  
  
Chat Noir was on scene really in last second. His staff elongated enough to push Sicarius from his potential victim.  
  
“Marinette, go hide somewhere!” shrieked. “Did you observed, where is his akuma?”  
  
“In his wallet,” said girl. “Be careful Mon Chatton!”  
  
“Sure!” next punch he made directly to Sicarius’s right wrist, broking it. “Place warning on Ladyblog, please! And move away, now!”  
  
Akuma was not much slowed down by fracture. To Chat’s disgust, when Sicarius adjusted his hand, it healed literally on observers’ eyes. Any way, he was probably weakened a bit, as he grabbed the dagger by left hand.  
  
Chat Noir banged with his staff and broke Sicarius’s left forearm.  
  
“Seems, the only way to distract this cretin is repeatedly break his hands!” said Chat Noir. “Maybe Ladybug will not come too soon, so I could enjoy a good time!”  
  
He made two punches, broking simultaneously Sicarius’s right forearm and shoulder. This time akuma was evidently shaken more.  
  
“M’lady?” called Chat Noir, using his baton as phone. “We have akuma here,” he said address of sidewalk café. “It’s Luka Couffain, akuma is in his wallet and he proclaims himself as Sicarius. No need to hurry, I have a good time broking his hands.”  
  
Sicarius, dagger in left hand again made attempt to follow escaping Marinette. Chat Noir broke both his legs.  
  
“Here you stay!” Chat Noir continued in ‘cat and mouse game’.  
  
He divided his staff into two batons and started punching his ribbons and broking them.  
  
“Does your band need a drummer?” asked with evil smile.  
  
Once Marinette was out of Sicarius sight, villain focused more on fight with Chat Noir. Chat blocked attack by dagger to his abdomen by baton in his left, made half-twist, and punched again by baton in his right to break Sicarius’s hand again.  
  
On Chat’s Noir back gawked woman’s voice:  
  
“Inspector Marion Barniere. What the heck is it here? Another akuma?”  
  
Chat risked short look to that woman. For his surprise it was same policewoman, who was in restaurant yesterday during lunch time.  
  
“This time it’s a bit different,” said Chat Noir and broke villain’s calf bone. “He proclaims himself as Sicarius. He tried to kill unarmed innocent girl just because she broke with him. I believe, he’s not under Hawkmoth’s control. He did not demand for Miraculous and just keeps attacking. So I think, he should be punished for attempted murder.”  
  
“There’s not enough evidence for that, Chat Noir,” answered Inspector. “You might be right, but your testimony would not be enough and procureur would drop whole thing.”  
  
“OK, may I borrow your handcuffs?”  
  
“Sure,” said Inspector and passed it to Chat Noir.  
  
He forced Sicarius to nearest chair and fastened villain to it.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Marinette had hard time to find unoccupied toilet to transform. All was either occupied or under surveillance cameras pointing on entrance. Finally she found one and after usual “Tikki spots on!” she left it as Ladybug.  
  
She hurried to place, just to observe Chat Noir together with policewoman from yesterday, fastening akuma to chair with handcuffs.  
  
“How get you here so fast, Kitty?” asked Ladybug. “Did you stalk the girl?”  
  
“I followed akuma,” snorted Chat Noir.  
  
“This one?” asked Ladybug, pointing on Sicarius.  
  
“No, this one,” pointed Chat Noir on dark moth, observing situation from canvas shelter.  
  
Ladybug caught insect by yo-yo without words now.  
  
“So Hawkmoth sent another akuma to direct you here?” asked Inspector.  
  
“I guess so.”  
  
“So there is no chance to prove, this idiot really wanted kill that girl you are speaking about or whether he was urged by Hawkmoth to do so.”  
  
Inspector Barniere shook her head and continued: “I really disdain man, who tries to kill a girl just because of being rejected.”  
  
“OK,” nodded Ladybug. “Kitty, do you know, where is his akuma?”  
  
“According that girl, in his wallet.”  
  
“So now you’re allowed to be a pickpocket,” smirked Inspector. “Pickpocket under police protection…”  
  
“HA HA HA,” said Chat Noir with bitter grimace.  
  
When Sicarius threshed about, Chat Noir slapped him. Finally he found right pocket and released akuma from wallet.  
  
“No more evil doing for you, little akuma!” used her catchphrase Ladybug and yo-yoed escaping moth. “Time to de-evilize!”  
  
As there were too many witnesses, she had to release both white butterflies.  
  
“Bye-bye little butterflies!”  
  
“Pounded it!” Inspector decided to add her own fist to it.  
  
When Sicarius turned back to Luka Couffain again, Chat Noir asked Inspector Barniere:  
  
“Could you please do the paperwork?”  
  
“As usually, stupid paperwork!” muttered policewoman, but nodded.  
  
“WHAT?” asked Ladybug.  
  
“Time to pay visit…”  
  
“True, let’s bug out!”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Professor Lefebvre was not alone in his lab. Together with him was little girl, Chat Noir estimated her age about ten. She was blond with short hair, dressed in costume of Chat Noir, what both heroes surprised. Chat Noir passed entomological killing jar to professor, who nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
“Hi, I’m Corrine. Corrine Trotta. Nice to meet you! Will you sign my baton?”  
  
Chat Noir nodded and professor passed him marker, normally used for writing on glass.  
  
Ladybug made a picture of them both.  
  
“You look so cute together,” she laughed. “Chat and Kitten Noirs.”  
  
Corrine gave her really ugly view.  
  
“So, what’s the result, professor?” asked Ladybug.  
  
“According plant toxins residuum chromatography, they really used Nasturtium to feed caterpillars. Butterfly seems to be a new species of Antheraea. I need confirm it by genetic test, to exclude possibility it could be a hybrid or klepton. But for genetic tests I need to say director, I’m working on an article. Will you agree with species name ladynoir?”  
  
“Yes, we will,” said Chat Noir. “I know your phone number, once it is possible, I’ll ring you, that cat is out of bag.”  
  
“OK,” nodded professor.  
  
“Ladybug, are you and Chat Noir couple?” asked Corrine suddenly.  
  
“No, why are you asking?” answered superheroine.  
  
“Fine, if he would be without you after eight year, I’ll have him,” said little girl.  
  
“And how will you find me, you don’t know my name,” said Chat Noir.  
  
“But I do know who you are. Bend down, I’ll tell you.”  
  
Chat Noir bended down.  
  
“You are Adrien Agreste!” whispered Corrine into his ear.  
  
-How is that possible, so many people are able to recognize me?!- thought surprised Chat Noir.  
  
Panic in his grimace was observed by Ladybug.  
  
“So she really revealed you?” Ladybug shook her head in disbelief and laughed. “Never underestimate little girls, remember Puppeteer.”  
  
Corinne starred daggers on Ladybug for a moment.  
  
“You’re not nice, Ladybug. I could forgive you, if you also sign my baton.”  
  
Ladybug burst in laugh, but signed that.  
  
“Remember, you have eight years!” said little girl.  
  
“Unfortunately, she’s as clever as a barrel of monkeys,” said professor. “Be nice little girl Corrine, or I’ll not allow you catching newts on our next expedition.”  
  
“But grandpa…”  
  
“As I said, be nice or I’ll not allow you that fun!”  
  
Corrine made kitten eyes on him.  
  
“That doesn’t work if used too often my dear,” said professor with laugh.  
  
That moment ringed both Chat’s Noir baton and Ladybug’s yo-yo.  
  
“Another akuma,” looked Chat Noir. “In Saint-Denis…”  
  
“Well, this will not be nice,” said professor and shook his head…  
  
When both heroes were about to leave, professor Lefebvre stopped Chat Noir:  
  
“Well, Mr. Agreste, one advice for future,” said sotto voce. “When you’re right and woman is wrong, that’s the situation woman probably never forgive you. If YOU are wrong, you have chance to be forgiven, if you plead pretty. And if you’re lucky and you’re forgiven for being right, you must NEVER remind that to her. Remember this easy rule, your love life could be much easier that way, trust man with experience.”  
  
“How?”  
  
“How did I figured out, who you are?” professor smiled. “I’m man of science, I pay attention on details and I recognize facts. Paris is overfull of your photos. I’m rather surprised, not so many people recognized you yet and your identity is not an open secret yet. I guess, some are simply stupid, some recognized, but disbelieved their own discovery, and some are rooting for you and remain silent.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Vladimir Vorontseff was not a happy man. He was nearing to eighty. His parents left in young age Russia, turned into Soviet Union in order to avoid Bolshevik terror. They settled in Saint-Denis and ran their antiquarian bookstore. Unfortunately, communists appeared even there and thanks to several communist mayors place became spoiled…  
  
Vladimir stubbornly refused to left his place and sell it. On the other hand, real estate agent offered him too low price for it. His family life was dissatisfactory too. Elena, his bellowed wife died three years ago and none of his both sons spent too long time with eldering father and sternly refused to run his shop.  
  
“Dad,” said his son Alexander. “People almost do not buy books nowadays. Hard to say, whether they read them.”  
  
Vladimir was sure, once he is dead, his place will be sold for that unsatisfactory price. Time for that will come soon. According oncology specialist his lung cancer was discovered too late to be operable. Thanks to metastasis in liver and even in bones his life will end in less than three months for sure. And even this short time was not quick enough for somebody. He could reconcile with fact, his bellowed, however unprofitable, bookstore will change into just another falafel buffet. But why they need him to leave the place quicker, using even Molotov cocktails to destroy his property?  
  
Vladimir extinguished another bottle with gasoline and heavily panted. When he observed dark wings of nearing akuma, he said it aloud: “Наконец-то!*”  
  
(*”Nakonec-to!” / ”Finally!”)  
  
Vladimir offered his crook to infection.  
  
“Hello Old Man, I’m Hawkmoth!”  
  
“Привет Бражник! Я Дед Мороз!*”  
  
(*”Privyiet Brazhnik! Ya Ded Maroz!” / “Hallo Hawkmoth! I’m Grandpa Frost!”)  
  
Hawkmoth felt insulted and caused terrible pain to eldering man:  
  
“Stranger, I do not speak language of your tribe. Behave yourself or I’ll take your powers away from you.”  
  
“And that’s all you are capable for?” asked Vladimir. “Trust me, my cancer pains much worse now. So we have deal, you give me powers to get my revenge and I’ll try to obtain Chat’s Noir and Ladybug’s Miraculouses for you.”  
  
“You just try?”  
  
“Let’s be realistic, Hawkmoth,” eldering man smiled a bit. “Till now everybody, you sent on them, were kick-assed. Am I not right?”  
  
“Deal,” said Hawkmoth. “So now, show yourself!”  
  
Vladimir felt the new power, bigger, than he was used in his young age. He was wearing kaftan and papakha, both made from dark brown fur. His crook changed into a big scepter of kind, looking like made from ice.  
  
He marched to club, where gang members responsible for attacks on him tend to come. Music there sounded to him, who was used hear rather Tchaikovsky, as something like: ‘Soomeeboodyyy staaands ooon myyy baaalls!’  
  
“What do you sniff here old infidel?” asked one of those shitstains.  
  
“Справедливость пришла до вас сволочи!” said Vladimir and pointed with his scepter on questioner. “Русская зима! Замерзай!*”  
  
(*”Spravedlivostj prishla do vas, svoloczi! Russkaya zima! Zamerzay!” / “Justice came to you, rabble! Russian winter! Freeze!”)  
  
Gangster was hit by wind of unbelievably cold air and froze on the spot. His accomplices panicked and tried to escape, but old man was pissed too much.  
  
Vladimir left the place and observed incomers. Some of them though, having heavy pieces of pipe or big knives gave them chance against akuma magic…  
  
He allowed only one of them escape. Some people made footages hidden after curtains.  
  
That was situation, how it looked, when Ladybug and Chat Noir succeeded to come…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“When you thrashed Luka Couffain, it seemed to me like being personal from your side,” said Ladybug when they hurried to action.  
  
“Maybe a little bit,” snorted Chat Noir. “I can’t tolerate fucker, who tried to kill unarmed innocent girl with a knife. Maybe you’d better come a bit later. I’d do a better lecture for him. He was good guy during Heroes’ Day. Being rejected by Marinette, he went bad.”  
  
Ladybug shook her head, but fell silent.  
  
When they reach crime scene, they observed strange person in long fur coat and fur hat with a staff made from ice. Several people laying around looked like being frozen. Hard to say, whether they were alive or not…  
  
“Чёрный кот с Жучком наконец-то подскакали!” old man said. “Кто до посоха моего коснётся, никогда не проснётся!*”  
  
(“Czornyi Кot c Zhuczkom nakonec-to podskakali! Kto do posokha moyego kosnyotsya, nikagda ne prosnyotsya!” / “Black Cat with Littlebeetle finally arrived! Who touch my staff, that will never wake up!”)  
  
“Sorry sir, but I don’t understand a word!” said Chat Noir. “This man is not really charming one, m’lady,” he said to Ladybug.  
  
Vladimir did not waste time and shrieked:  
  
“Русская зима! Замерзай!”  
  
Both heroes dodged terrible freezing cold wind.  
  
“What do you think m’lady, should we better use our special powers?” asked Chat Noir.  
  
“He could escape or wreak more harm, maybe even to somebody innocent. Let’s finish it as quick as possible.”  
  
Ladybug stayed so Chat Noir was like a shield between her and strange villain.  
  
“Lucky Charm!”  
  
Even Lucky Charm lost its temper. As answer she obtained sword with real flames on it. Lucky Vision showed her flaming sword, Chat Noir and strange ice staff of that old man.  
“Time for fencing duel Kitty!” said, showing flaming sword.  
  
“WOW!” said Chat Noir. “Really a hot stuff!”  
  
He grabbed the hilt of sword:  
  
“En garde!”  
  
Vladimir sent several winds of his freezing power.  
  
However Ladybug made her best to keep hidden on Chat’s back, she was hit by one of them. Chat Noir observed her falling from the corner of his eye just in moment, when he was on contact distance to Grandpa Frost. His attack was more furious, than during normal training duels. Even Vladimir stepped back, once he lost his scepter after one strike.  
  
Chat Noir changed hands on hilt of flaming sword.  
  
“Cataclysm!” shouted.  
  
When he touched staff with destructive energy, he felt for a short moment killing freeze.  
  
Akuma leaving the staff was caught by yo-yo without usual catchphrase. Ladybug was evidently close to faint.  
  
Chat Noir kneeled to her and placed hilt of flaming sword, hoping its heat could help her or at least everything could be fixed by her magic of creation…  
  
“Miraculous Ladyb…” she lost her consciousness…  


  
TO BE CONTINUED…  


  
Владимир Высоцкий - Баллада о борьбе - окончание  
  
Если мяса с ножа Ты не ел ни куска,  
Если pуки сложа Наблюдал свысока,  
И в боpьбу не вступил С подлецом, с палачом, -  
Значит, в жизни ты был Ни пpи чём, ни пpи чём!  
  
Если, путь пpоpубая Отцовским мечом,  
Ты солёные слёзы На ус намотал,  
Если в жаpком бою Испытал, что почём, -  
Значит, нужные книги Ты в детстве читал!  


  
Vladimir Vysotski – Ballad of Fighting – ending (translation by Alex Lvovsky)  
  
If the meat from a blade You did not eat a bite  
And your arms folded - stayed And looked down from a height  
Entered not into battle Against butcher and scythe  
Means that life proved your mettle You had nothing to give.

If you cleared your way with your father's sword  
And your tears had dried leaving nothing but salt  
If in heat of the battle found out what's what  
Means your read useful books when you were only small.


	13. Chapter 13)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 13)  


  
It was quite evident spell did not work with full power of it. Old man changed into wretchedly looking oldster with warped crook.  
  
“Look Oldie!” said Chat Noir to him. “If she dies just do not dare to leave the slammer!”  
  
Vladimir did not waste his breathing explaining to Chat Noir, he is not to leave prison, as he is in fact to die before trial due to his cancer…  
  
“Поцелуй Настоящей Любви*…” he spoke in hoarse voice. “True-Love-Kiss… Young man… According fairytale it should brake the evil magic…”  
  
(*”Potseluyi Nastoyiaszceyi Lyiubvi…”)  
  
“Well, this is NOT a fairytale!” shouted Chat Noir. “But it’s worth to test…”  
  
Chat Noir grasped unconscious Ladybug in just-married style, elongated his staff to reach the roof and there he broke into elevator engine room. The lock on door was broken long before and just corroded wire showed, where (long ago) was security camera. Ladybug’s earring last time beeped and red kwami left it, just to flutter before his eyes. Chat Noir observed white butterfly, leaving disappearing yo-yo. As he had no idea, whether purified akumas are ‘on-line’ connected with Hawkmoth, he preferred to catch it and placed into entomological killing jar. Red kwami crashed into his face.  
  
“You are NOT supposed to find out who she is!”  
  
“CALM DOWN!” demanded Chat Noir and added: “Plagg, claws in!”  
  
“DON’T LOOK ON HER!” screamed red kwami.  
  
“Ah, shut up, Sugar-cube!” snorted Plagg. “It’s either Adrien will know, or the whole Paris will know. Or would you prefer her to die and pass after that her Miraculous to Master Fu?!”  
  
Red kwami did not answer, but looked finally rather scared, than angry.  
  
“She’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng, isn’t she?” said Adrien.  
  
“Plagg, did you tell him or Adrien figured it out by himself?”  
  
“Tikki, this Chat Noir is quite clever,” smiled small black kwami of destruction.  
  
“How is she?” asked Adrien. “Should I take her to hospital?”  
  
“I must check her, but I have no energy…”  
  
“Fine, it’s Tikki, right?” Adrien looked concerned. “What do you eat?”  
  
“She’s not a gourmet like me,” laughed Plagg. “She prefers sweet things…”  
  
“Like chocolate bar?” asked Adrien and produced one from his pocket.  
  
Tikki started eat and Adrien kneeled to Marinette. When he touched her wrist, he thankfully felt her pulse, but her skin seemed to him terribly cold. He tried as old man said and kissed girl.  
  
“Please, don’t leave me!” said soft-voiced. “I really love you!”  
  
Both kwamis stared on him.  
  
“Do your best Sugar-cube!” whispered Plagg. “If she dies, he is really ready to savage the whole Paris to life-less little pieces…”  
  
“I always do my best!” nodded Tikki silently. “But sometimes it could be not enough.”  
  
Boy repeated kisses, but finally without visible result.  
  
“Adrien, I’ll check her, wait a moment,” said Tikki and literally plunged into Marinette’s body.  
  
Adrien observed some part of body shined with red light. It was less, than half of a minute, and kwami reappeared.  
  
“She’s better, than I was worried,” said Tikki. “Nothing is damaged, the only she needs, is to rewarm slowly, to avoid heat shock. Hospital is in fact not necessary, there would stay record and they would inform police about strange case. Bathtub should be enough. Take her to her parents, her mother is wise enough…”  
  
“Fine,” said Adrien and passed Tikki another chocolate bar. “I need a favor from you.”  
  
“What?” asked suspicious kwami.  
  
“Could you transform her? If Chat Noir would carry Marinette across the whole Paris, it would be conspicuous. If Ladybug, they would worry, but it would be less dangerous, I believe. And to go back to her home by taxi in our ‘normal self’ from here could be dangerous too.”  
  
“OK,” nodded kwami. “Just for that once case. Say ‘Tikki spots on!’ and later ‘Tikki spots off!’ This one and only moment I’ll hear YOUR orders. But Ladybug will be unable to help you. I’ll need all my energy to keep her transformed and alive.”  
  
“Deal!” said Adrien. “Plagg, I have for you two news, one is good, second is bad. Good one is, here is nice piece of Camembert for you, so enjoy it.”  
  
“And that bad new?” asked Plagg.  
  
“Just after you eat it,” smirked Adrien. “I don’t want to let it go down wrong way…”  
  
“I’m ready!” said red kwami.  
  
“Tikki, spots on!” said Adrien.  
  
He observed how Marinette’s body was transformed to Ladybug’s.  
  
“What’s that bad new, kiddo?!” demanded black kwami.  
  
“We have to run across the whole Paris really superfast!” said boy. “Plagg, claws out!”  
  
This evening Chat Noir with Ladybug in his arms ran without halting or rest. He somehow succeeded to do it in less, than twenty minutes however he never understood later, HOW…  
He ignored cameras and everything. He jumped from roof to roof, often using his staff in rope-walking way. Once he came closer to Dupain-Cheng bakery, he found hidden place without cameras and returned there, making detour. Chat Noir leaned Ladybug against the wall.  
  
“Plagg, claws in!”  
  
Little black creature pretended being half-dead. Maybe he even did not pretend.  
  
“Adrien, you mu…”  
  
Boy clogged his mouth with another piece of Camembert.  
  
“Babbling we’ll do later! Eat it and hide!”  
  
Adrien grasped Ladybug again in bridal style.  
  
“Tikki, spots off!”  
  
When red kwami reappeared, Adrien gave her questioning grimace.  
  
“She’s better. Maybe I could stay hidden in her body to protect her heart for case of heat shock. You did it in good time, Adrien.”  
  
“Great,” nodded Adrien. “Let’s hope her parents will accept my false explanation.”  
  
He came to entrance of bakery and knocked there.  
  
“We’re closed,” said Tom, but when he observed Adrien with Marinette in his arms, he quickly opened the door. “What’s wrong with her?!”  
  
When Tom let Adrien in, he shouted back: “Sabine, come here quickly!”  
  
Marinette’s mother appeared quickly.  
  
“What has happened?”  
  
“When Marinette rejected Luka, he was akumatized,” explained Adrien. “Thankfully Chat Noir appeared and bashed that idiot up. We came together to an new ethno shop, Marinette wanted to look there for inspiration. I had no idea, there could be another akuma attack. From another street out of the blue came freezing wind and Marinette got hit. I checked her and found pulse. Taxi-driver told me not to go to hospital, as police would need her to bear witness and local Maghrebi mobsters don’t like witnesses at all…”  
  
Both her parents stared on Adrien in silence. They both observed just a few minutes ago in TV news Ladybug to be hit during akuma attack and Chat Noir escaping with her…  
  
“She is hypothermic,” continued Adrien. “She need slowly and carefully rewarm, ideally in bathtub…”  
  
“Don’t worry, I know, what I’m doing!” said Sabine and waved her hand. “Come with me!”  
  
Sabine opened bathroom.  
  
“From here I’ll manage it. Tom, give him something to eat!”  
  
She smirked a bit on boy: “I’m going to undress her. I understand, you’d appreciate it, but I strongly believe, she has right to chose herself, whether she wants it or not.”  
  
Adrien was red in face and literally escaped into kitchen.  
  
Tom offered him croissant.  
  
“Adrien, are you two Ladybug and Chat Noir?” asked.  
  
Boy almost choked by piece of croissant.  
  
“Tom, please, do never ask that again!”  
  
They sat in silence for a while…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Sabine undressed her daughter and placed her into bathtub. She filled it with water only a little bit warmer, than was Marinette’s body. She repeatedly removed part of water, changing it to warmer and warmer. Finally girl came around…  
  
“Mama, how?”  
  
“Adrien brought you here. What do you remember?”  
  
“Luka was akumatized. I told him, I’ll go to Halloween party with Adrien and he didn’t accept it well. What was later, I don’t know…”  
  
“Adrien told, you wanted to see ethno shop and you got hit by a freezing wind from akuma. According him, taxi-driver recommended not to go to hospital. That taxi must came not so closely here, as none of us hear any car stopping here.”  
  
Marinette stared on her mother for a while. She knew, that is pure lie without a piece of truth in it, however it sounded believable.  
  
Once Sabine decided, her daughter is warmed sufficiently, she helped her to dress into pajama and helped her up to bed.  
  
“Mama, can you please ask Adrien to come here?”  
  
“Sure, darling!” smiled Sabine. “If your father didn’t tear his head away or didn’t put him on flight, I’ll tell him.”  
  
“Mama…” protested Marinette, but her mother only laughed.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“So, he didn’t bite your head off,” smiled Sabine on Adrien. “Fine. Marinette asked, if you could come to her. I believe, you know the way.”  
  
“Thank Mrs. Cheng!” answered Adrien.  
  
“I told you, Sabine is enough,” smiled Marinette’s mother.  
  
“Sorry…”  
  
“Go!” said Sabine. “But don’t stay too long. She must sleep and tomorrow she’ll be not in school. Could you bring her notes?”  
  
“For sure, Sabine…” Adrien almost ran up the stairs.  
  
Tom and Sabine looked on each other with knowing smile…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Marinette was waiting a bit nervously. She did not know, why only should Adrien lie to her parents. The only answer is, he either was asked for that by Chat Noir, or he even is himself Chat Noir, what is simply unbelievable.  
  
When Adrien entered her room, he widely smiled. She observed some similarities between him and Chat Noir now…  
  
“Marinette, I’m so happy you’re alive!”  
  
He hurried to her bed.  
  
“Next time you want to see something in territory of Maghrebi mobs, we’ll ask my bodyguard to come with us.”  
  
Saying that, he sat on her bed. He did it carefully not to sit directly on her.  
  
“To avoid problems with police, we should better say, we were on a walk near Seine and you got cold a bit.”  
  
Adrien placed his index finger on her lips to stop her saying anything. His smile was wide and a little bit triumphant. Marinette felt strange self-destructive need to remove that smile from his lips…  
  
Boy opened one of her sketch-blocks on unused page. From one pocket he produced piece of stinky Camembert, demonstrating that way long known truth, that French cheese does not get spoiled, it only change its name…  
  
Adrien waved piece of Camembert in air, suddenly Plagg appeared and ate it, squelching. Boy patted head of black kwami. His familiar behavior declared perfectly, that Adrien himself is Chat Noir… Wait. A. Moment! Adrien is Chat Noir?! Marinette’s eyes got widened in shock.  
  
Adrien produced also chocolate bar and Tikki zipped to accept it from his fingers. So much to chance deny, she is Ladybug. Adrien patted also Tikki’s head and wrote into her sketch-block:  
  
PLAGG, DO YOU KNOW READ AND WRITE?  
  
Small black kwami plucked pencil from his fingers.  
  
OFF COURSE I DO!  
  
Adrien smiled and demanded that pencil back.  
  
OK. PLEASE, CHECK, IF HER PARENTS ARE ON OTHER SIDE OF DOOR LISTENING!  
  
Plagg smiled and zipped out.  
  
“Marinette, will you agree to be my girlfriend?”  
  
She hoped a bit for that question, well, before she found his secret identity.  
  
“Why? Why me?”  
  
“Because I love you!” said Adrien simply.  
  
She stared on him in silent disbelief. Few moments later Plagg reapered:  
  
“Coast is clear! Do you know, what is funny?”  
  
Questioning faces of both humans and red kwami made him to answer:  
  
“Your father asked your mother, whether you two are Chat Noir and Ladybug. Your mother is wise woman. She answered him: ‘Do never dare to ask that question another time, or you’ll be without dinner!’ Your mother rules!”  
  
“So YOU ARE CHAT NOIR?!” asked Marinette.  
  
“Please, purritty please, not so loudly!” smiled Adrien. “M’lady.”  
  
“HOW ONLY?!”  
  
“Being Chat Noir gives me more freedom I ever had in my life,” said Adrien, this time serious. “And it gave me such a marvelous partner in crime, you.”  
  
“So Chat Noir is your Mr. Hyde?” asked Marinette.  
  
“Maybe,” smirked Adrien with absolutely innocent smile. “But Chat Noir is not evil and he’s violent only in necessary case against villains who deserve it.”  
  
“Even Luka?”  
  
“Even Luka,” frowned boy. “Crapper, who wants to use dagger against girl deserves the worst that world could serve up to him.”  
  
Marinette starred on him for a moment, but finally she nodded.  
  
“So you and me?” she asked.  
  
“A couple?” offered Adrien.  
  
“That’s something I wanted so long time,” smirked Marinette with a bit bitter smile. “That’s why I refused Chat’s flirting, as I wanted YOU. And what about you? Do you want Ladybug me or Marinette me?”  
  
“Both,” answered boy. “That time we first met, I promised to myself, I’ll love the girl under mask, whoever it would be. That was why I was scared a bit, seeing Chloé in Ladybug’s costume. And you being Ladybug, that means, dreams come true.”  
  
He made kitten eyes on her: “A little kiss?”  
  
“Come here, mon chatton!”  
  
“Adrien!” black kwami interrupted their first true mutual kiss. “You owe me a piece of Camembert as compensation for that piece I vomited right now!”  
  
“Plagg, shut up!” all three others said…  
  
After another kiss Adrien said:  
  
“Try to sleep. I’m going to pay a visit to Nadja Chamack.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“I’ll try to buy some time for us to prepare.”  
  
“Prepare for what?” asked Tikki. “I need at least one and half day to recover. Right now I can only transform Marinette, but I can do no Lucky Charm, no Lucky Vision, no yo-yo jumping, simply nothing energetically tasking.”  
  
“OK, Sugar-Cube,” answered Adrien, what caused Tikki to roll her eyes. “I’ll do my best to buy some time for us.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“So, it’s Nadja Chamack with special entry into news. Here we have Chat Noir with his proclamation.”  
  
“Thanks, Nadja. Dear fellow Parisians, I have two news for you…”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	14. Chapter 14)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 14)  


  
“I must interrupt you here, Chat,” said Nadja. “For those , who do not know that yet. During last akuma attack twelve teenagers were frozen. They are not dead, they even awaked, once being in custodial hospital. But once they left prison, they became frozen again.”  
  
On back display was running video-loop with Chat Noir carrying Ladybug in his arms.  
  
“So keep those bastards in slammer for necessary time!” shouted Chat Noir.  
  
“Those teenagers?” Nadja spoke unsure.  
  
“I mean those Maghrebi mobsters!” answered Chat Noir.  
  
“Chat, that’s not politically correct to name them such a way…”  
  
“By political correctness you mean that strange persuasion a lot of politicians through all over the world have? Like you could hold of a cleaner part of shit?!”  
  
Nadja wordlessly blinked several times in consternation.  
  
“Later, well, once we’ll have spare time for that, we’ll look for that,” said Chat Noir more calm tone. “But right now we have different, more serious problems.  
  
“Like if Ladybug’s spell did not work well…”  
  
“But that’s exactly the subject matter!” shrieked Chat Noir. “I have two messages. Good one is, Ladybug is alive with good chance to recover. But the bad new is, nobody is able to say, when she’s to recover. Her magic was crippled and for next time is simply unavailable. So I have one warning for you, my fellow Parisians!”  
  
“WHAT?!”  
  
“As there is no purifying of akumas, our shift was cancelled for nearest time.”  
  
“That’s impossible!” Nadja was upset. “That’s a… a betrayal…”  
  
“Why are you surprised?” Chat smiled on her, but in his smile was no joy. “We all are the French. N’est-ce pas?”  
  
“What do you mean?” asked now more and more consternated TV-reporter.  
  
“Betrayal is nevertheless French national sport,” smirked Chat Noir. “Natural like breathing in and breathing out. Remember Munich 1938 or betrayal of Israel just before Six-Day war. Whoever is stupid enough to rely on the French as allies, such moron would deserve whatever would happen to him, once he’s inevitably betrayed. Americans say, what does a French military alliance and a French romance have in common? Both are brief, sordid, and completely meaningless.”  
  
Nadja gasped.  
  
“That’s…”  
  
“Well, according George Orwell, if liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”  
  
“Are you serious, Chat?” Nadja was unsure, what controversial Chat’s speech in live broadcasting will provoke.  
  
“Nadja, together with Ladybug we did quite a lot for this City, I believe. Yes, during fight in Heroes’ Day they helped us a lot, but as this Hawkmoth’s terror elongates, they’re more and more dissatisfied with us. So, OK, let’s see, what will happen.”  
  
“What do you mean?” asked Nadja.  
  
“If we continue fight, Ladybug’s spell was damaged so much, that during next battle her Miraculous will most probably lost its power for good. I don’t know, why Hawkmoth needs our Miraculouses, but he can have them only as powerless pieces of historical jewelry. Scorched earth policy is unfortunately the only possible answer to his attrition warfare tactics.”  
  
“Seriously?” asked Nadja.  
  
“Yep,” nodded Chat. “I have one warning for my fellow Parisians. “If you decide to get so emotional, that you’d get akumatized, I’d go after you. Personally.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean, Prime Queen,” made Chat Noir ugly smirk. “I mean, I’ll go to kick ass of each such idiot. So before getting akumizated, imagine my boots on your arses,” he gesticulated, so camera zoomed on his boots. “Hard and heavy boots, you may trust me.”  
  
Nadja looked like a fish thrown out of water, idly opening and closing her mouth.  
  
“So, Nadja, nice to meet you and to all of you, have a meowelous day!” said Chat Noir, giving two fingers salute to camera.  
  
With these words he left the studio…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Gabriel Agreste stared on TV in dumb anger.  
  
“Did he lie?” asked Nathalie.  
  
He did not answer for a moment, but two or three minutes later he moved to her:  
  
“That’s what I really wish to know!”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When leaving TV-station, three engineers with wrenches tried to corner Chat Noir in corridor. They were probably in bad mood because of his provocative speech in live TV-broadcasting and they wanted revenge for that.  
  
Chat Noir divided his staff into two batons:  
  
“Wanna play?”  
  
All three engineers escaped.  
  
When he was out of building, for his surprise he got a phone call from Ladybug:  
  
“I need you here!” she sounded tired. “Immediately!”  
  
“On my way, m’lady!”  
When he came to Marinette’s rooftop, the trapdoor was opened. Downstairs he found Marinette transformed into Ladybug, how she wore Catwoman costume over her own.  
  
“Help me to button it up!” asked Ladybug. “Meet your new superheroic apprentice, Kitty Noir!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	15. Chapter 15)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 15)  


  
“What are you doing?!” asked Chat Noir. “You’re supposed to be in bed and make your best to recovery!”  
  
“Thanks to your ‘special action’ our friends are probably scared to hell,” answered Ladybug. “We simply MUST show them NOW, that WE’VE NOT BETRAYED them as we’ll need their help on Saturday morning. They have to keep the team spirit and hope for victory. So NOW we go to Master Fu for more Miraculouses. From him we MUST go today to Chloé, Rena Rouge and Carapace.”  
  
“I guess, they are Alya and Nino,” smirked Chat. “Am I right?”  
  
“It was too easy to deduce,” smirked Ladybug back. “Once you know my identity.”  
  
She placed on her head hat with cat-looking ears and integrated mask, covering her own Ladybug’s mask.  
  
“Now, as I can’t use my yo-yo, I’ll need your help to move fast,” said Ladybug, giving him a croissant. “I know, you brought me through the whole Paris and I appreciate it. But now I’ll simply need more. Sorry, mon Chatton.”  
  
“Your knight in shining black spandex is to your service, m’lady,” said Chat with theatrically deep bow. “But I’ll need to be paid for such a special service now.”  
  
“Paid?” smirked Ladybug. “How much?”  
  
“Let’s say… two kisses a kilometer?”  
  
“Ummm…” Ladybug sounded surprised. “That demand I could take into consideration…”  
  
Chat Noir, croissant still in his left hand, moved to her and kept her in a hug, finding her lips for a kiss. Minute or so later Ladybug pushed him slightly and breathed out and in.  
  
“Well, this one should be valid for TWO kilometers!”  
  
Chat Noir laughed, quickly ate croissant, and kept her in bridal style. He ran the stair with Ladybug in his arms.  
  
“No need to show yourself, mon chatton,” said girl teasingly. “But you have a good start. I’ll tell you, where to go. Now this direction,” she showed by her left hand and quickly kept his neck again, as Chat Noir moved pretty quickly in demanded way…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
They had no idea, Sabine and Tom observed them leaving, as they heard rustling from Marinette’s room.  
  
“Not. A. Single. Word!” said Sabine, frowning a bit…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
They came to Master Fu’s place quicker, than Ladybug expected.  
  
“Plagg, claws in!” said Chat Noir and as Adrien he knocked the door, Ladybug still in his arms.  
  
He smiled wide, observing surprised face of old Chinese.  
  
“Marinette, Adrien, nice to see you now, what’s up?” asked Master Fu.  
  
“Sorry Master, Tikki is too enfeebled, she can’t do too much right now, so I’ll better stay transformed now,” explained Ladybug.  
  
“That’s OK,” smiled Master Fu. “Clever mimicry, by the way.”  
  
“I sewed it a year or so ago for a masquerade ball, but I was too gutless to wear it,” explained Ladybug and continued: “We need Miraculouses for our allies to prepare for attack to Hawkmoth’s lair.”  
  
“Sure,” smiled Master Fu and came to his historical gramophone to release magic box from it. He quickly entered code.  
  
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, pick allies you can trust to fight alongside you in this mission. Choose wisely. Such powers are meant to serve the greater good. They must never get into the wrong hands. Once the mission is over, you must retrieve the Miraculouses from them and bring it back to me.”  
  
“Well, Master Fu,” said Adrien. “In fact, now it will not be just one mission, rather a longer war campaign. So we’ll need several Miraculouses released for longer time.”  
  
“Why, Adrien?” asked Master Fu.  
  
“Let’s hope, I’m right in suspecting my father to be Hawkmoth. And let’s also hope, we’ll win in one storming his lair. But there’s also unknown number of free-acting akumas all over the City. Even without Hawkmoth to lead them, they can possess people in fragile psychic state. These people would be necessary to catch and neutralize. So we’ll need allies for longer time, I strongly believe.”  
  
“I’m not glad about that, but I worry, you might be right.”  
  
Master Fu looked on Miraculous Box.  
  
Marinette chose usual three Miraculouses, including Fu’s own.  
  
“I’ll also need Roaar’s Tiger Miraculous,” said Adrien.  
  
“Who’ll hold it,” asked Ladybug. “I hope, you don’t mean HER!”  
  
“Well, m’lady,” said Adrien carefully. “Maybe I’m wrong, but isn’t that a jealousness I hear from you now?”  
  
“Who’s ‘HER’?” asked Master Fu.  
  
“Kagami Tsurugi,” answered Adrien. “I made a mistake, having few dates with her. But she’s excellent fencer and warrior.”  
  
“Her name sounds me like Japanese,” said Master Fu.  
  
“Yea, she’s Jap,” nodded Ladybug. “And she dared to kiss Adrien!”  
  
“She’s warrior, as I said,” answered Adrien. “She could be either valuable ally for us, or dangerous enemy, if Hawkmoth recruit her. I understand, why you could be upset, because she’s Jap, but it’s a really long time ago…”  
  
“What are you talking about?” asked Ladybug.  
  
“About Japan occupation of part of China,” frowned Master Fu. “Dark time with a lot of atrocities…”  
  
“I don’t think, she was involved,” said Adrien. “She’s of my age, well, maybe somebody of generation of her great-grandfathers…”  
  
“I KNOW, that you are right, Adrien,” snorted Master Fu. “It’s simply uneasy to FEEL it different. It’s in fact much worse, than when Marinette accepted Chloé Burgeois as Queen Bee. That was just a student bully, but Japs acted as real monsters in China…”  
  
“I know,” nodded Adrien. “But we need somebody, who is not only enthusiastic for doing good, but who also knows something about, how to use the violence.”  
  
“Yea, Japs knew really well, how to use violence,” shook Master Fu his head. “But how bitter it is, you are right, Adrien Agreste. But I need you to ask other Miraculous holders to vote, whether they accept Miss Tsurugi as their companion. And same I need you to vote, what to do with Gabriel Agreste, if he really IS Hawkmoth. It’s both YOUR responsibility now, Adrien. Do you accept this responsibility?”  
  
“I do,” nodded Adrien. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint you, Master.”  
  
“Well, Adrien, when I watched TV, I was sure, you’re insane,” said Master Fu. “Telling to your fellow citizens such terrible things about the French…”  
  
“All I told is truth,” snorted Adrien. “I’m not a politician, I do not need soft-soap anybody for getting votes.”  
  
“Truth,” smirked Master Fu and rubbed his short beard. “Truth is a double-edged blade, using it, you could easily harm yourself. You asked me not to involve authorities into your father’s case, if he really is Hawkmoth. Isn’t that a double standard?”  
  
“It IS double standard, you are right, Master,” answered Adrien. “But it’s tradition not only in France, but all over the World. And we did quite a lot for Parisians, so I believe, I could at least unofficially demand for some ‘special arrangement’.”  
  
“Yes, Adrien!” smiled Fu. “But your ‘special arrangement’ is simply in contrary to truth. I understand, if your father would get arrested, your personal lose would be even worse, than his, but if you demand so much about truth, you should also understand, truth in long perspective can cure a lot of things. But as every medicament, even truth has some side effects.”  
  
“So, you mean, I shouldn’t tell the truth in future?” asked Adrien.  
  
“No, just do it wisely and more diplomatic way,” shook Master Fu his head. “If you succeed to defeat Hawkmoth, I demand you to call me before you call authorities. Well, if it would be really necessary to call them.”  
  
“Master Fu,” said Plagg. “I’d recommend you to activate TWO more Miraculouses, I mean Longg in Dragon Miraculous and Sass’s Snake Miraculous. Longg could transform you even in your old age and help you to fight, Sass could be good advisor, he’s probably wisest of us and could help Longg to guard this place, when you’d sleep.”  
  
“Wise idea, Plagg!” said Master Fu and grabbed both Miraculouses.  
  
“Ssso again into the battle, Massster?” asked Sass, observing everybody. “I have a ssstrange premonitttion…”  
  
“What Sass?” asked Longg, looking like cute small dragon. “Contrary to other kwamis, I can transform Master Fu without special requirements considering his health status. But if you know anything or even if you only think you know anything, say it now! Without information we’re for no good…”  
  
“It’sss jussst a feeling,” said Sass. “Ssseemsss to me, you ssshould activate also Barrk and Xuppu. For her parentsss,” he pointed on Ladybug. “We’ll cover thisss place, but they could need another sssafe ssshelter for hiding and protecting themssselvesss…”  
  
Mater Fu frowned, but produced from magic box two more boxes:  
  
“I’m not going to risk chance, Sass was right and I didn’t right decision.”  
  
Old Chinese pointed on Adrien:  
  
“Your costume has pockets. Transform now and place all those boxes there.”  
  
“Plagg, claws out!”  
  
When Chat Noir placed all boxes into his pockets, he smiled on Ladybug:  
  
“M’lady, next station is Chloé’s room. I believe I know, which window it is.”  
  
He grabbed Ladybug again into his arms in bridal style. When he disappeared in darkness, Master Fu gave a sight:  
  
“If only I was forty years younger!”  
  
“You’d less envy him?” asked Longg.  
  
“No!” smiled Fu. “But I’d have energy enough to go to the red lamp district just for NOT to envy him that much…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Chat Noir knocked on Chloé’s window, she opened it pretty quickly:  
  
“You were fast, founding replacement for Ladybug, you Mangy Cat!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	16. Chapter 16)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 16)  


  
“That’s me,” said Ladybug and removed hat, allowing Chloé to see her mask. “Would you let us in?”  
  
“Sure,” said Chloé and helped Ladybug in, leaving Chat Noir hanging on parapet alone.  
  
Chat Noir entered on his own, observing a bit annoyed Chloé’s view.  
  
“Was it necessary to insult your fellow citizens?” asked him.  
  
“He decided to buy us time,” explained Ladybug. “He told truth, all I can do now is transformation not to be recognized.”  
  
“And why this feigning?” asked Chloé, pointing on tail of Ladybug’s Catwoman costume.  
  
“This charade could help us bewilder Hawkmoth, we hope,” explained Ladybug. “We have promising clue to his identity, so we need time for my recovery. According my kwami, I should be fully operational on Saturday morning. I have a big plea to you. Will you join us into this battle? It could be even more dangerous, than during Heroes’ Day.”  
  
“I’d be honored,” said Chloé and saluted to Ladybug, ignoring Chat Noir.  
  
“Chloé Burgeois, accept Bee Miraculous, which grants you power to immobilize your opponent,” said Ladybug and nodded to Chat Noir, who produced demanded box from one of his pockets. “You will use it for the greater good. As this job will be longer and more complicated, you need to get coordinated with Pollen. Open the box now!”  
  
“My Queen!” singed kwami, once appearing. “It’s a pleasure to work with you again!”  
  
“We believe, you’ll need to use Venom more, than once,” said Chat Noir, what caused Chloé to frown on him. “Don’t frown on me, that’s for no good. You’ll need to remember, Miraculous is not a toy. You can use it either together with us in fight, or only in case of do or die situation. In another case, you must not tell anybody, not even your parents or Sabrina, you got Miraculous again. Now ask Pollen, what she eats. You’ll have to feed her, as after using your special power she needs replenish her energy quickly.”  
  
“I eat sweet,” said Pollen. “Ideally honey, my Queen!”  
  
“That’s good,” smirked Chat Noir. “You live in hotel. For breakfast there is honey packed in small sterile packed doses. As director’s daughter you can take several of them. I’d recommend at least ten or twelve doses.”  
  
“You’re not as stupid as you often act or look like,” smiled Chloé in surprise. “That’s good idea. Maybe it could surprise both of you, but I missed Pollen more, than abilities she’s able to give me.”  
  
After these words Pollen cuddled up to Chloé’s cheek and accepted to be pressed to kiss.  
  
“I’m really sorry, that I’ll demand return of Miraculous later,” said Ladybug sad tone. “But this time Chat asked Miraculous Guardian to let us use Miraculouses for longer time, than for just one mission. Chat believes, there will be free acting akumas, even if we succeed to down Hawkmoth, so our service to City will need more time.”  
  
Chloé turned to Chat Noir and observed him better.  
  
“Are you two finally couple?” asked.  
  
“That’s not of your business,” answered Ladybug. “Let’s say, there is more in our Kit-Kat, than is visible for first sight.”  
  
“When he spoke on TV about the French, my father almost swallowed a fork in rage,” giggled Chloé. “You’re not much popular now, silly mangy cat.”  
  
“Do you remember Cat from Red Dwarf?” asked Chat Noir. “I could be even more annoying and self-centered, if I wish so.”  
  
“Do you hate Frenchmen so much?” asked Chloé.  
  
“All I said is nothing but a truth,” Chat Noir gave her Cheshire Cat grin. “As Hannibal Lecter said, I love the French, they taste like a chicken,” changed grimace into ugly smirk.  
  
“My father knows, it’s truth,” nodded Chloé. “But he wants to be reelected.”  
  
“Politicians and diapers have one thing in common – they should both be changed regularly and for the same reason, by the way. Or, do you know, what happen, when you give a politician Viagra? He gets taller.”  
  
“Does he do that often?” asked Chloé to Ladybug. “Stupid jokes and bad puns?”  
  
“Not often,” answered Ladybug. “Rather all away.”  
  
Chloé came to her and patted her shoulder:  
  
“Miraculous guardian should give Cat Miraculous to somebody better. Maybe like the boy from my class, Adrien Agreste. He’s sweet, selfless, and polite to everybody. He’d be so much better Chat Noir, I think.”  
  
Both Ladybug and Chat Noir had really a hard time not to burst in laugh. Chloé is so full of herself, that she is almost blind…  
  
“Fine, if you finished with wetting my silly kitty, I have one more plea to you,” said Ladybug. “Maybe you’ll not like it that much.”  
  
“Whatever you need, Ladybug,” said Chloé, saluting again.  
  
“Could we use your place on Saturday morning, let’s say at nine thirty?” asked Ladybug. “I’d wish to invite here also other heroes for briefing before battle.”  
  
“That will be my pleasure!” said Chloé. “Should I arrange some sandwiches or so?”  
  
“Only, if you’ll prepare it all by yourself alone,” answered Chat Noir. “This should be secret, nobody but you should know about it.”  
  
“I’m not that incapable,” retorted Chloé. “Would you prefer Whiskas or Royal Feline pellets?”  
  
“Chat Noir laughed and showed Chloé his right thumb up: “Point for you, Queen Bee!”  
  
“So see you on Saturday morning Chloé,” said Ladybug. “Remember please, having Bee Miraculous gives you great power and even greater responsibility. Keep it as secret, please.”  
  
She turned to Chat Noir:  
  
“Button up, kitten! We go to Rena Rouge and Carapace.”  
  
“You can hide Miraculous inside your hair, my Queen,” said Pollen. “And I really, really, really look forward to honey tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Good night!” said Chat Noir, grabbed Ladybug again in bridal style and disappeared in darkness.  
  
Chloé closed window and that night she after long time slept being truly happy…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Ladybug navigated Chat Noir, kissing him repeatedly. Finally they got to Alya’s place, but she was not there.  
  
“Maybe she’s at Nino’s place,” said Chat Noir. “Just let’s hope not in bed and not nude.”  
  
“Clean your brain!” answered Ladybug with laugh. “Or I’ll think, you’re envious of him.”  
  
“I don’t envy him because of Alya,” said Chat Noir. “But for their relationship I did, maybe a little bit.”  
  
“You did,” answered Ladybug. “And now, do you?”  
  
“As we’re finally together, not anymore,” explained Chat Noir.  
  
She kissed him and they continued to Nino’s place.  
  
Alya and Nino sat together on his bed and comforted each other in hug, when Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived to them.  
  
“So you’re replacement for Ladybug, Catgirl?” asked Alya with angry tone.  
  
Ladybug again showed her mask, same as with Chloé.  
  
“Why this comedy?” asked Alya.  
  
“According my kwami, I’ll be able to do my ‘special things’ not before Saturday morning,” explained Ladybug. “So we need prevent Hawkmoth from akumatizing anybody. Mon chatton decided to protect me his way.”  
  
“That was not nice, what you told about our nation,” said Nino.  
  
“I needed to cause full attention,” smirked Chat Noir. “And I was really tired and pissed. And I told no lie.”  
  
“So, if you became truly angry, we can expect heads bitted off and similar stuff?” questioned Alya.  
  
“If an dickhead would threated somebody I care about, it’s quite a possible scenario,” nodded Chat Noir.  
  
“Alya, Nino, we have auspicious clue to Hawkmoth identity,” said Ladybug. “Will you agree to come into battle together with us?”  
  
Alya and Nino looked on each other.  
  
“Sure, what should we do?” asked Alya.  
  
“Chloé agreed to let us use her place for briefing before battle,” explained Chat Noir. “We should meet there in Saturday nine thirty morning.”  
  
“Her place?” asked Alya.  
  
“Part of rooftop of her father’s hotel, near small bathing pool,” added Ladybug. “Alya Césaire, Nino Lahiffe, accept Fox Miraculous and Turtle Miraculous. You both know the rules. As now our action will be more, than just a single mission, you need to ask your kwamis, what food you need to prepare. They will need extra energy after giving you special abilities and it will be necessary to do it repeatedly. Miraculouses are not toys, so you must not say about it to anybody and out of our action you can use them only in do or die situations. Do you understand me?”  
  
“Sure, Ladybug!” said both unison.  
  
“So, see you in Saturday morning,” said Ladybug.  
  
“Wait!” said Alya. “Are you two finally a couple?”  
  
“Alya, I love you, my girl,” said Ladybug. “Once this Hawkmoth campaign is over, we’ll give you both interview, but right now, no information is available and nothing should appear on Ladyblog or anywhere else. Am I clear?”  
  
“Yes, Ladybug,” said Alya sad tone. “We just both support Ladynoir, you know…”  
  
“I do too,” said Chat Noir. “Maybe I could cajole her so.”  
  
Ladybug mindlessly scratched his scalp just between his fake cat ears. Sound he emitted surprised her:  
  
“Are you really PURRING, kitty?”  
  
All of them starred on Chat Noir.  
  
“Well, I didn’t know, right!” he muttered.  
  
“Fine,” said Ladybug and kissed his cheek. “Let’s go home. It’s late.”  
  
“Sure, m’lady!” said Chat Noir and grabbed her into his arms. “Have a meowellous time together, you two!”  
  
Nino and Alya both waved for ‘Good bye’.  
  
“He’s incorrigible,” said Nino, when they moved away.  
  
“Well, you’re lucky boy,” said Alya.  
  
“Am I?” Nino looked confused. “Really? But why?”  
  
“If he’s not so evidently in Ladybug and if I’m not in you, I’d think about him,” smirked Alya. “He has his charm…”  
  
Nino opened his box and fist pounded with Wayzz, who appeared immediately.  
  
“Dude, Ladybug and Chat Noir authorized us to buy food for you and for Trixx. What do you love to eat?”  
  
“For me lettuce, ideally little gem,” answered turtle-like kwami.  
  
Alya opened her box simultaneously.  
  
“I can eat almost anything,” laughed Trixx. “You know, foxes are omnivores. But for easier logistic, some cookies would be good. Tikki, Ladybug’s kwami eat it too, so you could help each other. Chat Noir didn’t say it, but they’re most important of us. Ladybug with Tikki’s help can undo a lot of damage. But if any of them dies, we’re lost. Remember it, both of you.”  
  
“Chat Noir doesn’t know it?” asked surprised Nino in disbelief.  
  
“He lives it!” said Wayzz. “Didn’t you mention that yet? Are you really so blind?”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Back in Marinette’s bedroom Chat Noir helped Ladybug into her bed.  
  
“Tikki spots off!”  
  
When kwami of creation was free flying, Marinette asked her:  
  
“Could you eat your cookie and have a rest? Is there anything we could do for you?”  
  
“Yep!” nodded red kwami. “Let me sleep for some time. I really, really, really need a rest!”  
  
“Sure,” answered Marinette.  
  
“Plagg, claws in!” said Chat Noir and as Adrien he clogged mouth of small black creature with a piece of Camembert.  
  
He kneeled to Marinette’s bed:  
  
“Marinette, will you marry me?”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	17. Chapter 17)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue

Chapter 17)  


  
Marinette and Adrien had no idea that Sabine and Tom are together under trapdoor into Marinette’s bedroom, eavesdropping the room. Sabine locked Tom’s mouth by her hand, second hand she pointed downstairs to move away…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“Are you serious?” asked Marinette. “Why just now, all of sudden? We’re not even in age for legal marriage, without special permit.”  
  
“That’s actually true,” agreed Adrien. “I have no problem to ask your parents to allow that, but I dislike vision of myself begging that from my father. Especially, if he’s really Hawkmoth.”  
  
“So you mean that as precaution of me being with Luka in future or as contingent contract of kind or what?” asked Marinette, giving angry expression of her face.  
  
“No, Marinette, I offer because you are love of my life!” said Adrien, terribly scared by that sudden change of her behavior.  
  
“And you recognized just that right in moment, when you learned, I’m Ladybug,” dropped her bombshell Marinette. “Till that you had no problem dating Kagami and observing me dating with Luka.”  
  
Both kwamis, as well as Adrien, observed Marinette in true horror now.  
  
“Not long ago this would be completion of my wildest dreams,” continued Marinette. “But you kept naming me as ‘just a very good friend’ of yours that time. Why has that changed? I guess, you deduced my identity after that akuma in restaurant. I told you about boy, who tries to make psychological profile of Hawkmoth and you figured out. Alya wrote nothing about that on her Ladyblog and how else could I know? Well, there could be more clever boys in Paris, but you probably got a whiff and you tried to do sure-fire, asking me for accepting your father’s contract and later asking me for dating you.”  
  
Adrien was speechless and looked devastated. Marinette observed him. Her mother was right. He really looked like feeling betrayed…  
  
“You should know now Adrien, I moved on,” said girl. “I chose Luka to be my boyfriend. And you manipulated me to refuse him. You used your father’s being Hawkmoth and you did nothing to prevent his akumatization. You even didn’t warn me, I could get killed by Sicarius, for heavens’ sake!”  
  
“I had no idea, that Luka could try to kill you,” said Adrien. “I supposed, he’d be after me and I, as Chat Noir, could defeat him easily.”  
  
“That was cruel, irresponsible and really, really wrong from you,” said Marinette. “Luka’s good guy and his akumatization was because of your manipulation. You know, I can easily imagine your thoughts. You think: I, as Chat Noir, I do all dangerous hard work and this, how you named him, ‘blue-haired excuse for musician’ came to Ladybug and with several sweet words he creamed off the pleasure to have her as girlfriend. I understand, you take it as big unfairness, that I did not answer to Chat’s flirt by loving him back.”  
  
“I know, that love is not an Olympic sport,” answered Adrien. “With clear rules and fair play anticipation…”  
  
“How fair was your dating with Kagami, when Ladybug refused you?” asked Marinette. “I was invisible for you. Luka sees me. He sees me from beginning.”  
  
“So, you finally chose him over me?” answered Adrien by question. “Is it, what you really want for future?”  
  
“Didn’t you chose Kagami over me, before you knew, I’m Ladybug?” Marinette’s answer was prompt. “Now it’s late!”  
  
“Please, give me another chance!” pleaded Adrien.  
  
“You don’t deserve another chance!” Marinette observed Adrien’s face.  
  
Boy was pale, almost like a ghost.  
  
-Compose yourself!- Adrien mentally kicked himself. –Men don’t cry! If you can’t be happy, keep dignity at least!-  
  
He stayed speechless again. What was the worst of that, all Marinette said was truth, if judged from her point of view…  
  
“I guess, your father should face consequences of his actions as Hawkmoth,” said slowly Marinette. “I remember, what you told, but I simply can’t agree to let him go unpunished. So the public trial should be the case.”  
  
“As I told you,” breathed silently Adrien. “My father is not a TIR driver from Czechia or Poland to be sentenced in France without evidence. I don’t think, there’s too much usable evidence in Agreste Manor and your testimony would hardly be enough.”  
  
“My testimony?” asked Marinette. “Not OUR testimony?”  
  
“If you really chose Luka over me, I do see NO reason to be another Pavel Morozov, who denounced his father to soviet bolsheviks’ authorities. Would you go to reveal your identity at the court of justice? I’d not and if they ask, what do I know, I can refuse to testify against my own father. So there will be no evidence. In Chess it’d be Stalemate, but law has rule ‘In Dubio pro Reo’ – when in doubt, for accused. So he’ll hardly be imprisoned. Doctor Bornish will be a bit richer and thanks to public shame I’ll have to leave country, probably for America, I think.”  
  
“What will you do in America?” asked Marinette. “Don’t you want to stay in Paris?”  
  
“I have a good brain,” said Adrien. “As fencer I could got a sport scholarship, for example in Princeton or in Columbia University. They most probably never heard about Hawkmoth there or they will not pay so much attention to that, I believe. And without you, I don’t want to live in Paris, rather in France, not at all.”  
  
“Interesting, you have it already elaborated,” mumbled Marinette.  
  
“I made my own research BEFORE I even tried to go to public school,” explained Adrien. “I dreamed plans to escape from Agrestes’ before I was chosen for Plagg.”  
  
“That’s another thing,” said Marinette. “You want to move to America. I want to stay here and as Ladybug, I will need dependable Chat Noir. Not Chat Noir on opposite side of Atlantic Ocean. And you refuse to testify against Hawkmoth, if he’d be revealed as your father. So give me your Miraculous, I’m going to give it to someone more trustworthy.”  
  
Now Marinette recognized, she pushed him too far and too much.  
  
His scared face changed into anger and finally into wrath.  
  
“NO WAY!” he shouted. “Plagg is not my property or slave to trade with him. He’s my friend, likely seems to me, my only friend.”  
  
“What about me, Nino or Alya?” asked Marinette.  
  
“You chose to disbelief me, Alya is first of all YOUR friend and Nino would for sure be loyal to her,” said Adrien. “By the way, to whom do you want to pass Plagg?”  
  
“To Luka, off course!” answered girl. “As my actual boyfriend he’s more trustworthy and not in conflict of interests, like you.”  
  
“FORGET IT!” Adrien trembled in wrath. “You DIDN’T give me that Miraculous, so you CAN’T demand it! If Master Fu decides so, I could take it into consideration.”  
  
He turned to his kwami:  
  
“Plagg, would you want to work for Luka?!”  
  
“Phew!” tiny black creature of Destruction looked annoyed. “Time to raise own backbone, kiddo. If you ask me, I would even revolt against Master Fu, if he’d such idiot to ask me to work for that blue-haired jester.”  
  
Plagg flied in circles around Tikki:  
  
“It’s YOUR fault, Sugar-cube!”  
  
“WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN?!” asked Tikki.  
  
“You insisted on secrete identity so much, that that nitwit of my owner found it late. They could be happily together…”  
  
“Or both in Hawkmoth’s hands!” shrieked Tikki. “So hold your horses!”  
  
“Fine, if you really wish so!” said Adrien. “I’M NO traitor! I’LL NOT betray YOU! See you on Saturday morning at Chloé’s place. Plagg, claws out!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…  
  
  
  
Author’s note: As Roman Catholic I feel sad and sorry because of destruction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Especially, as this catastrophe was not caused by madness of war, like it is usual in similar cases, but most probably by stupid simple craftsmen’s sloppy work. On the other hand – there is still the hope, as there are still true everyday heroes in France, amongst firefighters as well as others, who did their best in attempt to rescue the Cathedral. These people deserve for all thinkable respect…


	18. Chapter 18)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 18)  


  
Chat Noir produced from his pockets Dog and Monkey Miraculouses. Tiger Miraculous he decided better to keep in his own hands. Maybe he should ask Master Fu to let him use this Miraculous with Kagami permanently.  
  
He could be much less happy with her, than he would be with Marinette, but Kagami’s potential future children have chance to be cleverer…  
  
“Adrien! Please!” magic word was a bit surprise now. “Mon Chatton! Don’t go! Please!”  
  
“What?!” asked really confused Chat Noir. “What do you mean?”  
  
“I need you to understand, you can’t earn me, I’m not a decorative ribbon on your diploma,” said Marinette. “But truth is, I love YOU, in spite of mess you did and I said.”  
  
“And Luka?” asked Chat Noir.  
  
“When I felt heartbroken, he helped me compose myself,” explained Marinette. “And he quite sure wants me to be his girlfriend and yes, I thought about that, quite a lot. But anyway, I want YOU. Just never ever try either to lie to me or manipulate me.”  
  
“And that sum of my guilt?”  
  
“Well, you did all of that, all I said is truth. With a small exception, I did not choose him over you and I do not need you to submit Plagg. Will you forgive me, that I was evil to you? I promise to forgive you for what YOU did.”  
  
“I will need something a bit more,” said Chat Noir. “You almost cause me to get heart attack. I’m still scared to death…”  
  
“What more would you want?” asked Marinette curiously.  
  
“First of all, I need a hug and kiss,” answered boy in Cat costume.  
  
“That’s easy, come here!”  
  
After couple of minutes Chat Noir sat on Marinette’s bed.  
  
“And now?” asked girl.  
  
Chat Noir squirmed:  
  
“You and Luka, did you… did you have…”  
  
It was palpable, he did not know, how to continue, or rather, his will was not strong enough to finish sentence.  
  
“I guess, you’re asking, whether I and Luka had sex?” said Marinette bitterly. “Seems, I should better not to do, what I did to you… So I probably deserve that. Answer is NO. I didn’t have sex with anybody yet. I wanted you to be my first and only. Isn’t it strange in this time? Now it’s only fair, if I will ask: And what about you, model boy? Did you have sex with Chloé, Kagami, or any of those brainless model girls?”  
  
Adrien shook his head.  
  
“Whenever I was together with Chloé, there was always also somebody, who looked for us not to be ‘too close’ together,” laughed Adrien. “And later in school I learned, that she’s not the one I want be with. With Kagami I was never for enough time and model girls? – Father said, imagine any girl you would be with, as your wife for a rest of life. He strictly ‘dis-advised’ me doing one night stands with any of them, not to spoil Agreste’s reputation.”  
  
“And with me, would you want to spoil that reputation?” asked Marinette mischievously.  
  
“Relationship with you would be rather beneficial for Agreste’s reputation. Maybe I can offer you something: Will you agree to be my only sexual partner and I will be your only one?”  
  
“So a contingent contract of kind finally!” laughed girl. “But if you wish so, I agree!”  
  
“YES!” cheered Tikki. “Finally!”  
  
“Tikki?” asked Marinette. “Why are YOU so happy with that?”  
  
“I and Plagg, we are two halfs of entirety. Not each Ladybug was partner with her Chat Noir, but often it was so. Even not all Ladybugs were women, as well, as not all Chats Noir were men. But we work best in normal social frame, with normal families, you know, one man, being father, one woman, mother, and their children. For obvious reasons it’s prohibited for Ladybug and Chat Noir use sister and brother. Nonsenses of these days, I mean, when two women or two men could live together and name that marriage do not correspondent well with our magic. So back to Ladybugs and Chats Noir. Those, who were not only partners, but also loving couples, were usually much more effective in fact. How you acted together against Frightingale was just a pre-taste of possible. On the other hand, you used to celebrate your victory by fist bump. Some other Ladybugs and Chats Noir used to use a bit ‘deeper way’ to celebrate their victories.”  
  
Adrien felt, how his cheeks get hot.  
  
“Are you really blushing?” teased him Marinette.  
  
“From MY point of view you’re blushing both!” commented it Tikki. “Now all seems to me to be as it should be from beginning…”  
  
“But you supported my dating with Luka!” girl was confused. “And you almost prohibited me to reveal to Chat Noir…”  
  
“Marinette, you needed to do mistakes on your own to get some experience. You also needed to learn something about love. Well, not too much in fact, I was ready to interrupt you, if things would go too far out of hands. And about revelation? We usually in history did not act against another Miraculouses holders, but against different kinds of threats. Adrien finally found your identity himself and he did things the best way he imagined. There is something he did not tell you, as he probably doesn’t know it yet. From now you made a pact on magical level with him. If you cheat on him with another man, well… sexually… he would feel the ‘smell’ of that. And same is true for you from now.”  
  
“Awch!” said Adrien. “Trust me, please, I had no idea!”  
“That’s quite easy to trust,” Marinette winked on him. “You have always no idea!”  
“Fine, fine,” shook Chat Noir his head.  
  
Adrien was sure, especially after that furious scene, Marinette was able to find her way to make HIM feel guilty for literally anything…  
  
“I need something more and it concerns Luka,” said boy decisively.  
  
“What? Should I call him now and break with him for good or what?”  
  
“That’s something I’d prefer rather to do silently, without too much of noise,” smirked Chat Noir. “I seriously need from you a promise. Promise me, you’ll never reveal HIM yourself as Ladybug. I had to find it a really non-easy way and he doesn’t deserve to know that easier way. Also I’d prefer him to obtain no Miraculous from your hands. If Master Fu decides that, I’m OK with that. But not as your favor to him.”  
  
“That’s a bit unfair from you, you decided Kagami yourself…”  
  
“For a good reason. And I never pretended choosing her over you.”  
  
“OK, OK, is that everything?” Marinette looked like if her advice to Adrien was to answer ‘Yes’.  
  
“Not yet,” shook Adrien his head. “I believe, Luka is going to be a troublemaker and I wish you to agree me doing anything, I’d consider as necessary, once I’ll announce you as my official girlfriend to Alya.”  
  
“So now I’m just only your girlfriend, not a fiancée?” asked Marinette cheerfully.  
  
“You’ve not say ‘yes’ on my question yet,” said Chat Noir. “And classmates should get it dosed bit by bit. I’m going to tell Alya, we had a big talk after Luka was deakumatized and that’s why it’s a new of day. Week or two later we could tell more together.”  
  
“That’s wit,” noted Marinette. “As I’ll be not in school together, please, could you bring me notes tomorrow?”  
  
“Try to stop me!” smiled Chat Noir finally. “So what’s your answer to my question?”  
  
“Answer is yes, off course,” smiled Marinette. “Once we’re both eighteen. But first things first. We should learn, what new kwamis will need as food. Would you wish to keep Miraculous for Kagami in your hands?”  
  
“Not necessarily,” smirked Chat Noir. “Maybe Roaar would better help this night as support guard here.”  
  
He produced last box from his pocket. He had still some doubts, but he decided to interrogate Plagg about that later and in privacy…  
  
Chat Noir opened all three boxes. Dog looking kwami appeared as first.  
  
“Barrk, for your service!”  
  
“Fine Barrk,” commented Chat Noir. “What food should we prepare for you?”  
  
“Anything!” laughed miniature dog. “Here it’s bakery, I can eat almost anything here.”  
  
As second introduced himself Roaar:  
  
“For me raw meat, ideally beef!”  
  
“Fine!” nodded Marinette. “Adrien, could you buy some? Ideally packed in Polypropylene? To avoid stink…”  
  
“Sure,” nodded Chat Noir.  
  
Xuppu somehow appeared on his back and laughed. He changed his position quickly several times, Adrien suspected him from using teleportation of kind.  
  
“Same as doggie, I can eat anything here! They’ll going to have no idea, where did the food disappear! We’ll have fun!”  
  
Adrien tried to imagine Mrs. Sabine Cheng managing with this little plundering pest. That will be interesting for sure, but better being observed from another city, maybe even from another continent…  
  
Roaar grabbed Xuppu in his jaws for a moment and shook with him.  
  
“Behave yourself, Monkey!” tiger kwami seemed to be disgusted. “Till Ladybug is not in her full strength, Chat Noir is second in command here!”  
  
“Orders are simple,” said Chat Noir. “Observe this place, guard it against intruders. In case of danger wake up either Marinette, or her parents. Don’t let yourself to be caught and don’t kill anybody, if it’s really not necessary.”  
  
Roaar saluted and started with tongue lashing in an unknown language. Tikki from her pet bed silently laughed…  
  
“See you tomorrow, purrincess,” said Chat Noir and disappeared in night…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“That was almost too closed!” said Tikki. “You risked a lot Marinette. Adrien could be broken by this your little action and I’m not sure, whether it was really worth of such a risk. He was ready to left with Kagami as Roaar keeper for their future together.”  
  
“I know and trust me please, Tikki, it was worth of that risk,” said Marinette. “He needed to know the boundaries.”  
  
“Fine, but from now, whatever you need from him, he can ask you for a quid pro quo.”  
  
“The web of reciprocal services would be in fact helpful as kind of additional bonds in future,” said Marinette. “His father taught him to do something, if he wants to obtain something from others, so I just keep on doing in this play too…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Chat Noir detransfromed close to his home.  
  
“Plagg, did you ever meet with something similar?” asked his kwami. “She scared me more, than most of akumas!”  
  
“I met with that, quite often,” little creature of Destruction wriggled. “Females use manipulation all the time, but gods be with you, if you try it too. Her behavior, seems to me as a part of, let’s name it, taming of Chat Noir. Ladybugs usually do it almost on instinct base. Well, those, who decided for their Chat Noir as life partner. Scare him almost to death and after that ‘graciously’ saying, that it was just a lecture…”  
  
“Taming of Chat Noir?” Adrien looked confused. “Seriously? Why the heck?”  
  
“Because of Cataclysm,” answered Plagg. “Using Cataclysm to kill Ladybug is considered as something like high treason. In history it happened only two times. First time it was corrupted Chat Noir, who accepted good money in gold from local aristocrat. When his Ladybug discovered it, she decided to inform Guardians. He killed her using Cataclysm to wipe all clues away. Second time it was similar loser like you. When his Ladybug chose another man over him, he killed her because of jealousy. In both cases I did my duty.”  
  
“Your duty?” asked Adrien suspiciously. “Did you execute them?”  
  
“I destroyed them, totally,” answered Plagg. “It’s a part of geas in my Miraculous. When Chat Noir uses his power in battle, it’s legitimate. But murder of closest ally is taboo.”  
  
Plagg made several circles around Adrien:  
  
“You made me being depressive! I need my Camembert! I need it now!”  
  
“Plagg, I’m sorry, I have no Camembert right now,” answered boy. “You need to wait, till we’re in my room, there’s reserve supply. And what that taming of Chat Noir means?”  
  
Plagg gave him evil smile:  
  
“Girl’s panties might not be the most important thing in the Universe, but it’s damned closed to it…”  
  
“You mean… do you mean?…” Adrien was unable to formulate sentence properly.  
  
“Give me your phone!” said Plagg. “I must make a photo of your face now, it would be priceless!”  
  
Adrien tried to catch him, without success of course.  
  
“OK Plagg!” said Adrien. “Now behave yourself, or I’ll cut your Camembert ration!”  
  
Plagg zipped into his hiding place under Adrien’s shirt and remained silent for a moment.  
  
“Are you serious with Camembert?”  
  
“Observe me!”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Adrien opened entrance door to Agreste Mansion, Nathalie awaited him.  
  
“You’re late, Adrien,” said without visible emotions. “Your father needs you in his office room.”  
  
“Good evening, Nathalie,” answered boy. “Should I be ready for thunderstorm?”  
  
“I doubt so, Adrien,” nodded his father’s assistant and showed him to go, following just three steps after him.  
  
“Come in!” answered Gabriel for knock.  
  
“So lost son finally came!” his father told joke without real humor in voice. “Adrien, your phone is probably broken. I tried to call you several times and it was unavailable. Or did you switch it off?”  
“No I didn’t” shook Adrien his head.  
  
“Fine,” nodded Gabriel. “Nathalie, Adrien will need a new phone. Arrange it tomorrow, please. Something classy, elegant, waterproof and unbreakable.”  
  
“Sure, sir,” answered Nathalie.  
  
“As you are that late, I hope, you succeeded, son,” said father.  
  
“Yep,” nodded Adrien. “Marinette agreed to be my girlfriend. Would you want to ask her to confirm that?”  
  
“It’s not necessary,” nodded Gabriel. “I believe you’re not lying to me. Do you need dinner, or did you have it with your new girlfriend?”  
  
“We had dinner together,” said Adrien.  
  
It was not actually correct, but he could hardly explain his father, whom he suspected to be Hawkmoth, everything he did that day.  
  
“Fine. I think, you have still some homework to do and it’s late, so go to your room. Maybe just this,” said his father and passed him paper with sheet music. “If you stay against musician, you may need to beat him by music. Try this one. It’s maybe more difficult, than anything you already learned, but I believe, it’s worth of it.”  
  
Adrien took a look for a paper.  
  
“Bugatti Step? Such a relic? Seriously?!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 19)  
  
  
  
Gabriel Agreste raised his left eyebrow.  
  
“That’s not outdated, that’s atemporal,” he objected. “Try to find it on youtube. You’ll see.”  
  
“OK,” nodded Adrien. “There was one strange thing. When Lila was akumatized, her spell didn’t work on me. She said, Hawkmoth has another work for me. I truly hope, he doesn’t want me to model his akumas’ outfits. They’re mostly crazy, often truly lame.”  
  
His father stared on him for a moment. Adrien smiled.  
  
“Do you need something more, father?”  
  
“No, good night Adrien,” answered Gabriel.  
  
“Good night, father,” nodded boy and left room.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“Do you think, he knows, sir?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“I doubt so, but check his phone, once you give him a new one,” answered Gabriel. “Good night, Nathalie.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Adrien found on youtube Bugatti step on piano, played by Igor Ardashev. Melody was catchy and really quick.  
  
“No chance, kiddo!” said Plagg. “Not without being transformed to Chat Noir. You’re not quick enough for that!”  
  
“We’ll see, Plagg,” smiled Adrien. “First fingering, speed later.”  
  
“On the other hand, I should first of all clean my phone and warn Master Fu. On my phone could be GPS to his place.”  
  
“You’re right, Adrien. Hate to say it, but you’d better call him transformed and not from your phone.”  
  
“True. Plagg, claws out!”  
  
As Chat Noir he dialed Master Fu number.  
  
“What’s up, Chat Noir, it’s really late?”  
  
“Good evening Master Fu, my father needs me to give him my phone. So he could find GPS coordinates of your place. Could you move away, as soon as possible?”  
  
“That will be tricky to inform all my customers and not Hawkmoth, but it’s not a first time I need to move in a hurry. Thanks for a warning.”  
  
“Sure. We’ll inform you, once things would change, one or another way…” Adrien was silent for a moment. “Good night Master Fu!”  
  
“Good night, Adrien!”  
  
After that phone call Adrien cleaned his phone and all suspicious data he placed to small data card. This data card he placed inside of his watch.  
  
“Plagg, tomorrow afternoon remember me to buy huge supply of Camembert. I’m worried, there will be a lot of things to be cataclysmed…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
In the morning something surprising happened in the entrance hall of school. There was a crowd of students and Adrien was attacked. Only thanks to his enhanced reflexes he was not hit by malicious fist punch into backside of his head.  
  
“AGRESTE!” shouted Luka’s voice on his back.  


  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 20)  


  
Adrien slowly turned to Luka. Blue-haired ‘excuse for a musician’ was evidently upset and Adrien knew pretty well, why. Now there was time for some manipulations with that clown. For Adrien it would be easy-peasy to knock Luka KO, leaving him black and blue. But unfortunately that is something he cannot do. He must never spoil his P.R., his public image. So the only way was to make Luka either run as scared hare, or better make him attack as first…  
  
“Couffaine!” said Adrien with as much disdain, as he was able to wedge into his tone of voice. “Or should I better say ‘Sicarius’?”  
  
Luka was even more upset, but somehow he managed to calm down. Musician evidently got to understand what was Adrien trying to do.  
  
“Leave Marinette alone, she’s my girlfriend!”  
  
“You used wrong tense,” smirked Adrien. “Proper would be to use past tense, in sense she WAS your girlfriend, but she’s no more.”  
“What?” Luka stared on Adrien in consternation.  
  
“Trying to kill her with a knife was a mistake, I fancy,” explained Adrien with a smile on his face, that you could usually meet on tropical river banks, where small birds remove rests of meat and parasites from that smile.  
  
“Technically, it was a dagger,” said Max from back. “Knife has usually only one sharp edge, dagger has two and also sharp point.”  
  
“Thanks, Max!” noted Adrien. “Is there a big difference between being killed by knife, or by dagger, by the way?”  
  
“In fact not, well, dagger is more sure death, if you understand me,” explained Max.  
  
Adrien risked quick inspection of situation. Crowd of students was divided, leaving a more or less circular space for both boys. Adrien found, Ivan with Kim and Alix were watching his back, same did three boys for Luka. So it was unlikely, some of Luka’s sympathizer could come to his back to attack. Nino and Alya both did video footage of event.  
  
“Fine,” said Adrien. “I must really admire your guts Couffaine. You tried to kill my girlfriend and now you ask me to let you be with her, so you could finish that or what? Quite a chutzpah, isn’t it?”  
  
“Chutzpah?” asked consternated Luka.  
  
“Chutzpah is a special level of audacity,” explained Max. “Like if man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan.”  
  
Luka was red in face from wrath. But he still did not attack Adrien. He was too scared to go into fair wrestling fight. He knew, that Adrien, as fencer, was most probably no wuss…  
  
“She all the time lamented, how you’re incapable to see her,” said Luka. “I see her all the time and I love her.”  
  
“You have a strange way to demonstrate your ‘love’,” Adrien said the word love with palpable disgust. “Helping her calm down is old history now, like a Bataille d'Azincourt* during Hundred Years’ War. Using dagger against girl who refused you might be normal behavior amongst middle-east barbarians, but not here in France. France is still a part of Western World, by Jove! Now fuck off! You’d better return home to change for brown trousers, by the way.”  
(*French Battle of Agincourt)  
  
Luka opened his eyes wide.  
  
“WHAT?”  
  
“To avoid other people to recognize, what a little piece of shit you are,” explained Adrien with evil smile. “Now run away, little hare!”  
  
Amongst students there was one drama queen, who started on his or her phone song from 30 seconds to Mars, ‘This is War’:  


  
«A warning to the people,»  
«The good and the evil,»  
«This is war.»  


  
“Fifty Euro on Adrien!” said Max.  
  
“Hundred on Luka!” said girl’s voice, unknown to Adrien.  
  
“Another fifty on my dude!” said Nino.  
  
“Nice to have friends, believing in you,” said Adrien teasingly.  
  
Luka stared on him wordless…  


  
«To the soldier, the civilian,»  
«The martyr, the victim,»  
«This is war.»  


  
Hearing song was distracting, but as Chat Noir was Adrien used to fight in distracting situation. Luka on the other way was quite evidently much more upset with that…  


  
«It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie,»  
«The moment to live and the moment to die,»  
«The moment to fight, the moment to fight»  
«To fight, to fight, to fight!»  


  
“Fils de Pute*!” shrieked frustrated Luka.  
(*French Son of a bitch)  
  
Juleka gasped. Her brother just made grave mistake right now.  


  
«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«From the last to the first»  


  
“You have forgotten the face of your father!” used Adrien ritual challenge from Dark Tower. “If you’ve ever knew his face.”  
  
That was dirty punch and Luka’s face turned red. Adrien estimated, he was to soon lost his temper. Alix blocked Juleka from coming closer.  
  
“Your brother seriously needs a lecture in humbleness and in good behavior. Adrien will be a good teacher.”  
  
Rose hugged Juleka from left side, trying to calm her down.  


  
«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world!»  
  
«A warning to the prophet,»  
«The liar, the honest,»  
«This is war.»  
  
«To the leader, the pariah,»  
«The victor, the messiah,»  
«This is war.»  


  
After word ‘pariah’ Adrien winked on Luka:  
  
“Go ahead, make my day!”  
  
Blue-haired boy concentrated all his hate, frustration and fear into one fist punch.  


  
«It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie,»  
«The moment to live and the moment to die,»  
«The moment to fight, the moment to fight,»  
«To fight, to fight, to fight!»  


  
Luka’s fist would break Adrien’s nose, but the punch never hit its target. Adrien dodged his head, he grabbed Luka’s right wrist and made Luka’s arm twisted on his back. Simultaneously he twice punched Luka’s ribs by his left fist and tripped Luka’s leg.  


  
«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«From the last to the first»  


  
When Luka was on his knees on floor and Adrien pushed his right knee onto his thoracic spine, there was a time to show for audience his magnanimity:  
  
“Do you surrender?” asked Adrien.  
  
Luka slapped by his left hand to floor, like in wrestling, to show, he surrendered.  
  
“OK,” said Adrien and released Luka. “Go and find another sandpit to play there!”  
  
Adrien turned his back to Luka, leaving for classroom.  


  
«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world!»  


  
Thanks to his enhanced senses Adrien heard Luka’s run to his back. When Luka was near, wrath in his face, Adrien turned to him, giving him roundhouse kick into ribs.  


  
«I do believe in the light»  
«Raise your hands into the sky»  
«The fight is done, the war is won»  
«Lift your hands toward the sun»  
«Toward the sun»  
«Toward the sun»  
«Toward the sun»  
«The war is won»  


  
As Adrien hit Luka’s rib cage only tangentially, not directly, he did not break anything, only made Luka’s body to do a bit theatrical flip in air and finally Luka ended on his back. As he quite quickly pushed himself away from Adrien, it was pretty evident Luka was only shocked, not somehow seriously wound.  


  
«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«From the last to the first»  


  
“Juleka, call ambulance for him!” said Adrien to consternated girl. “I don’t think, that he’s really wound, but better let him check by traumatology.”  
Juleka dialed number of ambulance and started explain them, what has happened.  


  
«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world!»  


  
Adrien dialed Nathalie’s number.  
  
“Nathalie, please tell father, that I was attacked in school. Attacker is on his way to hospital. Infor also Doctor Bornishe, I will probably need his help. He should pick an court order for security cameras footage up. Before somebody manage to delete it from school system. You’ll need to some damage control soon.”  
  
“Sure Adrien!” said Nathalie. “Thanks for informing me in time. Was it because Miss Dupain-Cheng?”  
  
“Yes, it was,” answered Adrien. “But it was simply inevitably. He tried to break my nose. That would be destructive for photoshoots.”  
  
“For sure you’re right,” replied Nathalie. “Now go to your classroom and try not to cripple another student today. I’ll do my best to save your public image.”  


  
«A brave new world»  
«The war is won»  
«The war is won»  
«A brave new world!»  


  
When ambulance-men stretchered Luka away, students managed to disperse to their classrooms. Adrien shortly dialed another number:  
  
“Marinette, I unfortunately had to bash up Luka. I’m calling you to prevent possibility, you learn about it from media or from another people.”  
  
“Was it inevitable?” asked girl.  
  
“I strongly believe so,” answered boy. “That bozo tried break my nose.”  
  
“And you’ve appreciate bashing him up!” accused him Marinette.  
  
“Guilty!” answered Adrien.  
  
“You’re irreformable!” said Marinette. “Will you come here for lunch?”  
  
“I’ll do my best to come,” promised Adrien.  
  
Before he could enter the classroom, he was blocked by group of his classmates.  
  
“I really hope, that you TRULLY love Marinette!” said Alix, causing Adrien to be surprised and consternated.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 21)  


  
“I do,” said Adrien. “But how is it your business?”  
  
Nobody observed him switching on Dictaphone application on his phone hidden in his pocket. Adrien decided to send recorded conversation to Marinette, so she could play along and confirm his version of their becoming a couple.  
  
“You have NO IDEA how annoying it is to hear ‘Oh, how could I date with Adrien?’ or ‘He’ll for sure fall for Kagami!’ or another shit of that kind all the time,” said Alix. “But it was really nice, how you cut Luka down to size. If Marinette is not my friend, I’d ask you out myself.”  
  
“ALIX!” shouted Alya on her. “You should NEVER EVER say those things to Adrien!”  
  
“Calm down!” retorted Alix. “If he knew things a bit sooner, there could be so much less nerves.”  
  
Kim smiled:  
  
“With you out of market, we others have better chance any way. So except for Luka and his closest friends, all of us support you and Marinette together.”  
  
Rose came to Adrien and quite painfully jabbed him into ribs by her index and middle fingers. She repeated that silly kind of attack:  
  
“That wasn’t nice you did to Luka!” Rose almost shrieked. “He loves Marinette and you humiliated him and manipulated him to attack you!”  
  
“Yes, I did that!” agreed Adrien and grabbed Rose’s wrist, keeping it between his left thumb and index finger, showing other fingers not touching her hand. Well, Adrien’s thumb and index finger were enough to keep pocket-sized girl’s wrist reliably. “And I’d appreciate if you don’t do that ever again. I don’t like it.”  
  
“But…” Rose tried to wrench her hand out of his grip. “But Luka really loves her and she loved Luka. And Luka is a good guy, so talented musician. That’s not fair…”  
  
“Life is quite often unfair,” nodded Adrien. “Sorry, that I don’t share your ardor for that blue-haired excuse for musician. I really have contempt for man, who attacks unarmed girl with knife or dagger. If he came after me, it would be unpleasant, but someway normal. Men tended to smash their skulls each other because of girls from time of our chimpanzee-like ancestors. But attempt for kill female is something so unforgivable, that I decided to ignore rule about not to berate person for what he did being akumatized. That rule is anyway just only unwritten, means unenforceable…”  
  
Adrien gave Rose smile of kind causing her to shiver. She wished to step back, but he hold her fast.  
  
“I need Luka to feel so ashamed, that he’d never come closer to Marinette. I’m not going to risk next time he could finish his next murderous attempt. The day before yesterday I started testing waters, thinking, that Marinette could be maybe, well… THE ONE for me…”  
  
“Finally,” said Alya. “It took you ‘ONLY’ two years. I’d never trust how somebody could be so blind. Being even more blind you’d need white stick and guiding dog…”  
  
Everybody around Adrien including, chuckled for that.  
  
“OK,” snorted Rose. “I expected something more romantic for Marinette, but if you say so, and if she decided finally for you, I could buy that…”  
  
“Do you need sparkling firework rockets and wagons of flowers?” asked Adrien with a wit smile. “Sorry to disappoint you. In fact it started by my father. He decided to hire Marinette as freelancer designer and I helped to organize the interview. During that I learned, it’s really nice to speak with her. When Marinette accepted Luka’s invitation for a coffee date, I decided to halt any progression of that relationship and I asked her to be my girlfriend. When Luka got akumatized, I observed it on internet and hurried there. Thanks to God, Chat Noir was there in time and saved her life from his murderous attempt.”  
  
Adrien observed knot of his classmates. They literally read his lips. He did not smile, but they evidently credited his version and any Luka’s later attempt will be refused by his friends…  
  
“When I found Marinette, she was shocked and looked unable to talk at all. So I holt her and spoke a lot of things, honestly, I do not remember what I told her. We had walk and talk together, finally she said, she definitively broke with Luka. Later she seemed to be tired, or maybe got cold…”  
  
“Yea, she texted me, that she’s ill,” confirmed Alya.  
  
“So, that’s all folks!” smirked Adrien. “When I came to school, that idiot attacked me from my back, but I guess, only security camera observed that, he used scrummage on beginning of day to mask his attack on me.”  
  
“I DID observe that!” said Max to his surprise. “But before I could do anything, you succeeded to pacify him yourself. I just arranged music for that.”  
  
“It was you?!” questioned Nino. “It’s usually my business to be DJ.”  
  
“You were too busy making video record of brawl to be,” snorted Max.  
  
“So Rose, you can see it yourself,” said Adrien. “It’s not me, who is villain here. It was only a legitimate self-defense. Try to explain that to Juleka once you meet her.”  
  
Rose did not look happy, but Adrien waited till she nodded to release her from his grip.  
  
“Bro, what was that with Luka?” asked Nino. “Were you playing to be Chuck Norris or what the heck?”  
  
“If I’m Chuck Norris, Luka is in hearse, not in ambulance,” smirked Adrien.  
  
All of them , but not Rose, shortly laughed.  
  
Miss Bustier came to their cluster:  
  
“It’s time to start lectures. NOW!”  
  
“Sure, Miss Bustier!” they answered unison and moved to classroom.  
  
Miss Bustier skipped presentation and started with world prewar literature:  
  
“As homework you should read excerpt from Karel Čapek’s ‘La Guerre des salamandres’* and make short essay about it.”  
  
(* ‘Válka s mloky’ – ‘War with the Newts’ – 1936, Ewald Osers’ translation is recommended for rubbernecks)  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Some five minutes to lunch pause during Mrs. Mendeleiev’s lesson of physics teacher’s phone started to buzz.  
  
Mrs. Mendeleiev frowned and gave the device nasty look, observing, it is Mr. Damocles calling her.  
  
“Mr. Damocles?” asked teacher without smallest hearable respect in her tone. “Yes, he’s here. OK, I’ll tell him to go to your office. Yes, immediately.”  
  
Mrs. Mendeleiev gave to her unhappy phone one really disgusted look, once she finished the call with principal.  
  
“Mr. Agreste, you’re asked to Mr. Damocles office. You others, leave the class silently and enjoy your lunch.”  
  
When Adrien knocked on Mr. Damocles’ door, it was opened by not much expected person:  
  
“Doctor Bornish?”  
  
“Come in, Adrien!” asked lawyer. “Come in and close the door!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	22. Chapter 22]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 22)  


  
Inside of principal’s office were more people, than it was usual.  
  
Luka Couffaine was accompanied by his mother Anarka as well as by his sister Juleka. All three Couffaines looked on Adrien with undisguised grudge. Adrien made polite smile for them, what caused all three of them to even deepen their frown…  
  
“You were right, Adrien!” said Doctor Bornish. “It was wise to ask me secure footage of security cameras here. When I came here, Principal Damocles informed me, all footage was deleted. He forgot, your school doesn’t have own IT workers, but uses outsourcing professional IT-firm, same as many smaller schools here.”  
  
Lawyer gave Mr. Damocles a bit arrogant smile, what caused Principal sunk in his chair.  
  
“Principal Damocles probably thought, he would have less problems with evidence being removed,” Doctor Bornish shook his head. “So I needed to explain him, in such a case he could face being accused for Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice. After that he recollected and gave me contact for that IT-firm. Their specialist restored amateurishly deleted footages. I have his sworn deposition about this incident. We both with Mr. Damocles just observed that footage, when here Mrs. Couffaine with her daughter and son came and needed you to be expelled from school. Because of aggravated assault on Mr. Couffaine. Thankfully I was right here, so I prevented Principal Damocles from simple complying of this request. Finally that could happen solely strictly as a result of your penalization through the court of justice. I really hope Mrs. Couffaine will press charge against you. It will be just a cake to crush that during trial. I’ve read Mr. Couffaine’s medical report. According what was written there, only his oversized ego and pride got hurt. No big loss in fact.”  
  
Doctor Bornish gave Couffaines his best shark-like smile. Adrien remembered, sharks do never eat lawyers, because of collegiality.  
  
“I came here to be sure, that rule, we use to say ‘Auditaur et altera pars’, is not to be broken,” said lawyer. When none of observers reacted, he continued: “That means ‘Let’s Listen to the other side.’ Seems to me, Principal Damocles was ready for broke this important rule…”  
  
Principal Damocles seemed to like sink even deeper into his chair.  
  
“From security camera footage it’s clear it was here Mr. Couffaine, who started incident by attacking here my client from his back.”  
  
“That footage was manipulated!” shrieked Luka.  
  
“Both you and I know, it’s NOT manipulated,” Doctor Bornish elevated his left eyebrow. “Don’t make a fool from yourself. Forensic expert will prove, the footage was never manipulated and judge will accept that. There is probably no witness of that before the brawl began…”  
  
“There IS one eyewitness!” said Adrien.  
  
“Great!” smiled lawyer. “Even greater! Don’t tell anybody his or her name. Judges love to hear eyewitnesses. Made not a big difference, that they are usually much less credible, than physical evidence…”  
  
He looked on opponents triumphantly.  
  
“So Mrs. and Mr. Couffaine, do you insist on pressing charge against my client?” asked Doctor Bornish Luka. “Please do it, make my day!”  
  
“No, he’s not worthy of that!” said Luka.  
  
“Good!” nodded lawyer. “And what about you, Adrien? If you wish, I could press same charge against Mr. Couffaine with really a good chance for victory.”  
  
“I don’t want accuse Luka at court of justice,” said Adrien. “But it makes no good, if evil remains unpunished. So my recommendation is here for Mr. Damocles. Luka attacked me from my back. That’s against the spirit of fair play. So I believe, Luka should elaborate and publically speak an oration about count Pierre de Coubertin, Olympic Games Fair Play idea and this sort of things.”  
  
“Alternative punishment!” said Doctor Bornish with laugh. “Maybe you could one day be good curator, Adrien. I’m good with that. I recommend this to be placed upon record and for now it will be the way to close this cause. Does any participant disagree?”  
  
Nobody said anything.  
  
“So, Mr. Damocles, if you allow me to your computer and printer, I’d write the text of this statement and all participants should sign that. I have power of attorney to sign it as Mr. Agreste junior legal representative.”  
  
Adrien thought for a moment, that it would be nice to have rather his father here. Luka had here his family. All he had here is an expensive jovial lawyer, however evidently more efficient for results, than mother and sister for his opponent.  
  
Doctor Bornish observed Luka for some moments, reading his body language and face expressions.  
  
“Mr. Couffaine, you probably have no idea, how lucky you are!” said lawyer.  
  
“Pardon me?” musician was confused. “Lucky?”  
  
“Yes!” lawyer looked on him with palpable disgust. “If you succeeded yesterday with killing Miss Dupain-Cheng, I promise you, I would be after you and even if state procureur would drop your charge, I would not. I would do my best to send you into slammer and I would do that ‘pro bono publico’…”  
  
“Pro bono?” Luka looked confused.  
  
“Pro bono publico,” said Adrien. “It’s from Latin. That means, Doctor Bornish would make prosecution and take a legal action against you without demanding money, just for to make the world here around be better.”  
  
“I strongly believe, that every really great lawyer should time by time do something that,” said Doctor Bornish. “Just to feel, one is still an human being.”  
  
Luka observed lawyer and shivered in hard-to-explain feeling of fear…  
  
“Second reason you should feel lucky is fact, you did not hit my client’s nose, when you tried to do so,” Doctor Bornish smirked. “As Mr. Agreste junior is in fact face of Gabriel Brand. So his face is insured for five million Euro. So if you broke his nose, insurance company would pay his father this sum of money and try to guess yourself, from WHOM they would need refund these money?”  
  
“From ME?!” Luka’s face was of pure horror.  
  
“Trust me, Luka, I’m worth of ALL these money!” smirked Adrien. “But I somehow can’t imagine, how could you save so much in reasonable time?”  
  
The grudge in faces of all three Couffains quickly changed into fear.  
  
“And there is also third reason,” continued lawyer. “If my client decided to kick you a little higher, some twenty centimeters would be enough, head and neck trauma would be lethal for you. Remember celebrate today as day of your second birthday. It would be uneasy to prove at court of justice, that your death was intentional, not just accident during legitimate self-defense.”  
  
Doctor Bornish finished text and removed papers from printer.  
  
“So, sign that here, here, and also here!” he explained to everybody. “Two copies of this document will be deposited also in archive of court of justice. By the way, there is an interlocutory injunction for you, Mr. Couffaine. This is ninety days valid Restraining order from court of justice, ordering you not to come closer, than twenty meters to my client, if out of school territory and closer, than five meters, if inside of school. Breaking this order is considered as Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice and would lead to hearing in trial at court of justice. I strongly believe, you don’t want to have a criminal record. Restrain order starts to be valid from twelve o’clock today.”  
  
Lawyer placed a paper into Luka’s right hand.  
  
“Read it carefully,” said to blue-haired boy. “You can ask this Restraining order to be cancelled. All it just need from you to press a charge for a nullity of this interlocutory injunction. I’m really looking forward to meet you at trial.”  
  
Luka looked like a cornered rat. But there was nobody in contact distance he could bite right now…  
  
“I strongly believe, we made here everything to be made,” said Doctor Bornish. “It was an interesting time to meet you all, but it’s time for a lunch break. You all have my business card, so if there is anything unclear, don’t hesitate to ask me for explanation. My usual price is six hundred Euro per hour. Mr. Couffaine, my another humbly recommendation for you is not to get akumatized again. Seemed to me, Chat Noir doesn’t like you and is probably ready to deliver on his promise to you.”  
  
With these words he grabbed Adrien and literally dragged him out of Principal Damocles’ office. All Adrien was able to do was made another polite smile and wave for good bye. To his surprise, all people inside waved him back…  
  
All three Couffaines looked on each other in horror and felt, like if they almost drowned…  
  
Principal Damocles felt relief, as Doctor Bornish scared him even more, than André Burgeois, Major of Paris…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Doctor Bornish escorted Adrien to his car. Adrien expected something expensive and fashionable, but it was just an common Renault, quite an old model, but still not a veteran car…  
  
“Well, there are improvements, like bulletproof glass and so on,” said amused lawyer. “But for my job less noticeable car is usually better. For cases I need it, I have similar limousine like your father uses on daily bases. But I do not need to show how rich and important I am, for me is simply enough to BE rich and important.”  
  
Adrien smiled and nodded.  
  
“Wise. Once I am to choose my own car, I’ll follow your recommendation.”  
  
“I’m not sure, what was Mr. Damocles’ motivation to agree with your expulsion from school. Probably he’s just close to his pension age and wanted just spend the rest of his working days on his position without bigger upheavals. I showed him, that his way would lead to big inconveniencies for him and as result he could be finally fired from his position. If Mr. Couffaine is an excuse for musician, Mr. Damocles is an excuse for pedagogue.”  
  
Lawyer shook his head in disbelief, but a moment later he smiled on Adrien.  
  
“I’m going to ask quite a money from your father for my service here,” nodded Doctor Bornish. “So I’d wish to buy you at least a lunch.”  
  
“I promised Marinette to come for lunch to her place. Would you mind, if I call her? I want ask, if we could go there together?”  
  
“It would be interesting to meet girl, because of which well-known calmest boy-model bashed up that blue-haired excuse for musician. Your father told me about your characterization of Mr. Couffaine and it perfectly fits to him.”  
  
“Her family runs small Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie on 12 Rue Gotlib in the 21st arrondissement of Paris,” explained Adrien.  
  
“Fine, I know where to go. Just make your phone call!”  
  
Adrien dialed Marinette’s number.  
  
“Adrien, hi!” he heard girl’s voice. “Is there any trouble, you’re late or you can’t go at all?”  
  
“I’m with Doctor Bornish, my father’s lawyer. I promise to explain everything later. Can we come together for lunch? I guess, he has something to say to you and to your parents too.”  
  
“Are you in troubles?” Marinette sounded worried.  
  
“Hard to say yes or no,” answered Adrien. “Doctor Bornish could explain better.”  
  
“I’ll tell to my mum,” said Marinette. “But better, come both of you quickly! Lunch pause is not that long.”  
  
“We are both invited,” said Adrien to lawyer.  
  
“So you are one of those, who think, lawyers are like vampires, they could come only if being invited!” laughed Doctor Bornish.  
  
For Adrien it was surprise, this man could have a sense of humor.  
  
“You evidently can stay on sunlight,” answered Adrien. “That part with sharpened aspen wood stick we should better omit.”  
  
That caused lawyer real burst in laugh.  
  
“I really appreciate that. Enough once people said, lawyers have no hearts.”  
  
With that they sat into car.  
  
“Stop me here, please!” said Adrien, pointing on flower shop.  
  
“True gentleman!” said Doctor Bornish, but nodded. “Do you have enough of money?”  
  
“No worry!”  
  
In flower shop Adrien purchased two roses, one dark red and pink one.  
  
“Let me guess,” said lawyer. “Dark red for mother, pink one for daughter.”  
  
“Naturally,” answered Adrien. “So here we are.”  
  
As Marinette’s parents’ bakery was so close to school, it was in fact a nonsense to use car to get there.  
  
“Let me introduce myself,” said lawyer. “I’m Roger Bornish, Agrestes’ family lawyer.”  
  
He gave several business cards to Tom Dupain.  
  
“Sabine Dupain, welcome here.” “Tom Dupain, is something wrong with Adrien, that he needs a lawyer?”  
  
“He explained some basic rules of good behavior to Mr. Couffaine. Mr. Couffaine tried to get Adrien expelled from school or maybe even charged for bodily harm, but I came on scene and things quickly changed.”  
  
“In what sense?” asked Tom confused. “His harm disappeared or what?”  
  
“Nope,” smirked Doctor Bornish. “But formulation in his medical record allowed me to say, his traumas were only closed to minor or bagatelle. During trial the security cameras footage would show, he attacked Mr. Agreste junior as first. So there’s no reason to punish Mr. Agreste for justifiable self-defense. Mr. Couffaine finally understood and threw the towel in.”  
  
In that moment Marinette came down from her room. Adrien found himself uneasy to speak. He was sure his lower jaw just hit the floor. What she wore was probably meant as the costume for next Saturday Halloween party. Her jacket and relatively short skirt were both made from olive green fabric, with wide belt and brass buckles and with cream-colored white neckband. Under skirt she wore leggings, left legging leg was ochre colored, right was cream-colored white, same as the neckband.  
  
Lawyer nodded:  
  
“You’re right Adrien. She’s worth to fight the whole world for her.”  
  
Looking for her costume Doctor Bornish made a bit theatrical obeisance.  
  
“Mademoiselle, my client is right, choosing you as his life partner.”  
  
Everybody looked on lawyer in confuse.  
  
“How could you know?” asked Adrien.  
  
“I can easily read your body language, once Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng appeared. And you are either better actor, than I consider as probable in your age, or you’re just a lost man. Well… You could hardly chose better girl to be lost because of her. My tariff for a wedding contract is eight hundred Euro, by the way…”  
  
Doctor Bornish laughed, but no one joined him.  
  
Marinette made courtesy only by her head.  
  
“That’s a bit early, I’m just sixteen.”  
  
“No, it’s just a perfect time to prepare things perfectly collected, once you’re in legal age,” objected lawyer.  
  
Doctor Bornish smiled and turned to Sabine:  
  
“Madame Cheng, I promised my client to buy him a lunch. Could you help me not to look as bluff artist.”  
  
“Mr. Bornish, we were ready to feed Adrien for free, so there is no need to pay us for it. You can also feel to be invited.”  
  
“That’s really nice from you, but I’m going to need for a relatively high sum of money from Mr. Agreste senior. So it’s only fair, if I pay at least part of those money to you, consider it as good turn. I like this place a lot, it has quite a specific atmosphere, like somewhere inside family or so. Maybe we could make another business deal together, Madame Cheng. I have some clients, not from organized crime or violent criminal, lawyer’s honor, who would better accept this place for some short lunch with client, than usual restaurant I use to use.”  
  
“But there is often a lot of people, you could be heard by somebody, if speaking with your client…” objected Tom.  
  
“Monsieur Dupain,” smiled Doctor Bornish on him. “The kind of secrets you’re speaking about I naturally say STRICTLY only in my office. But for ice-breaker meetings and similar cases this place looks as ideal. Not mentioning fact, your cakes look really delicious.”  
  
Tom smiled an nodded to Sabine:  
  
“What do you mean, darling?”  
  
“If you inform us in advance, we could prepare something for you and make some arrangements for such a case,” Sabine smirked to lawyer. “At least some chairs here and there. We usually do not use this place as restaurant, but for a friend of our friend we can make also a friendly pricing, I strongly believe.”  
  
Sabine offered her right hand to shake with Doctor Bornish, her best mercantile grimace on her face. Adrien almost expected, she would spit on her hand for symbolical confirmation of deal, as horse chafferers traditionally do…  
  
Doctor Bornish on the other hand made his genuine sincere smile, making Adrien to remember, how one could recognize, that lawyer is lying. Answer is, his lips are moving…  
  
In moment, when Sabine and Doctor Bornish shook their hands, door opened without knocking and Luka stormed inside.  
  
“MARINETTE!” screamed. “I NEED TO TA…”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	23. Chapter 23)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 23)  


  
Luka looked around. Marinette’s mother shook her hand with damned Adrien’s damned lawyer, keeping in her left hand dark red rose. Adrien still kept pink rose and observed Luka like a piece of shit, made by feral dog invader. Marinette’s father observed Luka too, however rather scared, like if Luka was just to reakumatize into Sicarius again. And Marinette was in beautiful dress, most probably meant to be her costume for party next Saturday. It was evident, she did not dress up for him, not for Luka, her marvelous soul-reading musician, but for HIM, for God-damned Agreste, who never saw, how unique Marinette is…  
  
“AGRESTE!” shouted Luka. “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?”  
  
“I was invited to lunch,” said Adrien calmly and relatively silently. “My lawyer was also invited. But there’s another question. Were you invited here?”  
  
“Mr. Couffaine,” Doctor Bornish gave Luka disdainful look. “Remaining here you broke the rules of Restraining order. I could ask Police to escort you out of my client vicinity. But I would prefer authorities not to be involved for quite a minor wrongdoing.”  
  
“Or will you want us to leave, Marinette?” asked Adrien.  
  
“No Adrien, I invited you both and I want you stay here,” answered girl.  
  
“As my daughter told,” said Tom.  
  
“Mr. Couffaine, I’m not an expert in music, but seems to me, songs about unhappy love are usually better, than those about the happy one,” said lawyer. “So now I recommend you to leave this place.”  
  
There are several kinds of silence. Silence in Tom’s and Sabine’s Bakery was the kind known as ‘The Embarrassing Silence’…  
  
“Let’s see, what finally crawled from the hole under that flat stone!” breached Adrien finally the silence. “Tom, do you have here a really BIG plastic thrash bag? I mean human body sized…”  
  
“What for?” asked Marinette’s father.  
  
“There’s big piece of garbage I should better pack and throw into dust bin,” Adrien turned to Marinette’s mother: “Sabine, could you keep this rose for a while? I don’t want to get it crumpled.”  
  
Sabine nodded. Somebody chuckled and Marinette ran the stairs down.  
  
“ADRIEN!” she shrieked. “What are you doing?”  
  
“Something I should do long time ago,” said Adrien and once Marinette was close enough, he passed her the pink rose.  
  
“My lady,” said with a bit theatrical bow and kissed top of her hand. “Be careful, this beautiful rose has long and sharp thorns.”  
  
He turned back to Luka, positioning himself to face opponent by his left side, prepared to use his left hand as shield to break any attack Luka could use and simultaneously prepared to be ready attack himself by right hand, like if he has shield and sword.  
  
Marinette grabbed his right hand. She did it with quite a strength.  
  
“You should not brawl. Violence is no solution.”  
  
Adrien rethought his strategy. He shifted his weight on his right foot, preparing to do direct kick by left. As he was unsure, whether Marinette would release him in time, he needed to be ready for only one-handed fight. He could use her weight as an anchor during fight. But his lawyer decided to play another trump card.  
  
“Au contraire,” said Doctor Bornish. “Violence, and armed violence, should be accented, was, what helped to solute slavery, fascism, nazism, and communism as well… By the way, Mr. Couffaine, before you do something really unreasonable, I should warn you. I own firearm permit and I have here my gun loaded and ready to use. I don’t think, your akuma outfit from yesterday was bulletproof.”  
  
Luka stared on lawyer in total disbelief. Now, here, this monstrous person recommended his opponent to use violence? He is even speaking about using gun! Against musician, the minstrel of love songs?! Really?! Does that really happen?!  
  
“But…” Marinette was unable to find proper answer.  
  
Adrien rolled up his sleeves. It was not easy with Marinette still keeping his right hand in firm tight.  
  
“Easy way or hard way?” asked to Luka.  
  
Adrien’s green eyes were cold and grimace of is face promised pain. Great pain in fact… Luka stayed like being frozen for a while. When he moved to Adrien, model boy simply grabbed Luka’s left wrist by his left hand and placed his fingers on upper part off it. He squeezed musician’s hand really painfully. Adrien’s smile was the mask of disinterest…  
  
“Now there is enough to press here, not really strongly, and you’ll play on guitar never more,” said Adrien in conversational tone. “But I keep being merciful. I give you thirty second to leave this place for good. Don’t leave here even your stink!”  
  
Adrien stepped back from Luka, who was paralyzed by horror.  
  
“Once I count to zero, I’ll zeroize you,” said Adrien sotto voce. “Thirty, twenty nine, twenty eight, twenty seven, twenty six, twenty five, twenty four, twenty three, twenty two…”  
  
Luka made step back, than one more and finally he turned his back to Adrien and ran away.  
  
“That was unwise,” said Doctor Bornish. He showed his left hand, where he undercover kept his phone. “Thankfully I have the whole incident recorded. So I could explain why both you and I lose our temper enough to death threat. We’ll see, whether is Mr. Couffaine clever enough to try to contact authorities or another lawyer. I personally do not believe so…”  
  
Once Luka was away, only Marinette seemed stay being upset because of Doctor Bornish actions.  
  
“Why do you have gun?” asked Sabine.  
  
Marinette’s mother was not upset, rather curious.  
  
“Policeman doesn’t fit into my pocket,” explained lawyer. “Not so many people know, editor in chief from Charlie Hebdo asked for firearm permit, but his request was rejected as unjustified. If it’s not so tragic, it would be grotesque. Unfortunately establishment, no big difference whether Micron and his minions here in Paris or Brusellian EU-nuchs, prefers inhabitants being killed by armed criminals, rather than allow them to buy weapons to be able for protect themselves.”  
  
One portion of Peking duck later said Marinette:  
  
“Adrien, you should hurry back to school. Once you’ll finish it, come here. I’d need to do some measure to make your costume for Halloween party.”  
  
“Fine, my lady,” said Adrien with a deep bow and Cheshire cat grin.  
  
Marinette poked him into ribs and kissed him. Doctor Bornish foisted several banknotes to Sabine and accented:  
  
“Madame Cheng, I’m really looking forward for our future cooperation.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Five minutes later in lawyer’s car Adrien asked:  
  
“Doctor Bornish, should we press an legal action against Mr. Damocles?”  
  
“I don’t think so,” said lawyer. “Your principal learned not to mess with you ever more, you could consider him as tamed. Other students aren’t my clients. And he’s not that evil to be worth of my work pro bono publico…”  
  
“OK,” nodded Adrien.  
  
“One more thing, Adrien,” said Doctor Bornish. “I’ll inform your father and his assistant about what happened. I strongly believe, he’ll need you to go to Mademoisele Dupain-Cheng strictly only with your bodyguard. I’m sorry, but I feel it as inevitable…”  
  
“Right, Doctor Bornish,” nodded Adrien. “Better safe, than sorry. I should inform Nathalie as first.”  
  
He dialed her number:  
  
“Nathalie, Doctor Bornish covered things effectively. But he considers it as necessary, that my activities today should be better covered by my bodyguard. Please, inform also father.”  
  
“Sure, Adrien,” answered Nathalie. “He will expect you at four P.M. before your school…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
In less, than five minutes after Adrien’s leaving, Luka reappeared in Tom and Sabine bakery. It was evident, he stalked the place.  
  
“Do you want to buy some pastries?” asked Sabine, observing Marinette’s stressed face.  
“I need to talk with Marinette,” said Luka. “Closeted.”  
  
“That will not happen,” said Tom. “Yesterday you almost killed my only child and now you ask to be with her alone? No way!”  
  
“Dad, easy!” said Marinette. “We don’t need closeted speech, Luka. I chose for Adrien. I chose him over you, I know, it’s unfair, but you’ll have to accept it. You say, you can hear music of one’s soul. But there is another thing. Adrien is my soulmate. We found it just day before yesterday,” girl partially lied, as she wished not to reveal herself as Ladybug to Luka or to her parents. “I forgive you tried to kill me, but I don’t want to date with you anymore. Not because of you got akumatized, but because I really love Adrien. He was blind, but he sees me now and he makes me happy. Sorry to broke your heart, but you’re more experienced in these things, than me or Adrien, I guess. You should find another girl. I wish you luck in that.”  
  
Luka left without saying goodbye, he did not trust himself not to start cry…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Adrien check time and ran to his class. But door was blocked by Juleka.  
  
“Why do you need to destroy everything?!” she shrieked…  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	24. Chapter 24)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 24)  


  
Adrien was surprised, Alya came to him as backup. She probably knew, he would have problem to beat girl even in order to protect himself. Juleka was stronger, than Rose, he could hardly keep her hands in two-fingers grip.  
  
“What do you want?” blogger asked angry girl. “You and I both know, what is it about.”  
  
“But…” Juleka almost sobbed. “Luka is so happy with Marinette and she loves him!”  
  
“I’m sorry,” said Adrien. “But just day before yesterday I’ve found, she’s the ONE for me. That we’re soulmates. So I’ll NOT give her up. No way once she agreed to be with me.”  
  
“Who are you and where is Adrien Agreste?” asked Nino from inside classroom.  
  
“Freedom is addictive,” said Adrien. “Father gave me some and now thanks to Luka the asshole my freedom is to be cut-down. Because that bozo decided attack me on eyes of so many witnesses. Without eyewitnesses I could simply bash him up to rounded cube, but with mess Luka did, I’ll have to go everywhere by car with my bodyguard. Again!”  
  
Juleka focused on him, like if she tried to hypnotize him.  
  
“You could have any girl you want, why just Marinette?” asked Juleka.  
  
“Any girl?” asked Adrien with a bit evil-looking grin. “Means also you?”  
  
Alya, same as Juleka both looked on him confused, but in a second Alya burst in laugh:  
  
“He has point! Stay such, I must make a picture of your grimace…”  
  
Before Alya was able to prepare her phone, Juleka almost attacked her.  
  
“Thanks Alya, but I think, it’s enough teasing her,” laughed Adrien. “I believe, when Marinette and me made agreement, there’s nobody to protest left.”  
  
“Well, maybe Kagami and Chloé,” said Nino, who came to look, where his girlfriend was.  
  
Adrien rubbed back of his neck.  
  
“Well, that could be quite a problem. But any way, I do NOT give up Marinette and finally everybody would have to accept it…”  
  
There was moment of silence.  
  
“Was it true?” asked Juleka after that moment. “Was it true, what your lawyer told?”  
  
“What do you mean?” asked Adrien. “Doctor Bornish is quite a talkative guy. He’s paid for it. What cause do you question me?”  
  
“Was it true, that you could kill Luka during your brawl bare-handed?”  
  
“Couple times in fact,” answered Adrien. “I let him live several times. Do for me a favor please. Explain it to that idiot of your brother, up to full comprehension. If he attacks Marinette or me another time, I would be merciless.”  
  
“So you said Marinette or you?” asked Juleka.  
  
“Well, if he attacks another person I care about, I can also finish him, but why are you asking?” Adrien focused on Juleka back.  
  
“She’s trying to be cunning,” explained Alya. “You said Marinette’s name as first.”  
  
“That’s just normal, simply natural,” said confused Adrien.  
  
“That SHOULD BE natural,” said Juleka. “OK, I’ll try to speak some reason into my brother’s ears. And yes, I remember, how Marinette was always head over heels because of you.”  
  
“OR I’ll beat some reason directly into Luka’s head,” said Adrien. “By the way, remember him, he owes hundred Euros to that girl, who lost her bet on him.”  
  
With that he entered the classroom.  
  
“Once Marinette is sick, may I sit next to you, Adrien?” asked Lila, for Adrien’s eyes literally appearing out of blue.  
  
“No way!” said Adrien. “I’m simply tired and disgusted of your lies and I don’t want to see you even painted on picture!”  
  
“That was quite rude, Adrien,” said Miss Bustier coming to his back. “You should give her at least some credit…”  
  
“Excuse me, Miss Bustier, but for obtain credit one needs credibility,” objected Adrien. “I wonder, if Lila said one truthful sentence any time.”  
  
“I tell TRUTH!” shrieked Lila.  
  
“Lila, you wouldn’t recognize truth, even if that truth would walk to you, dance hula-hula around you and then bit your butt.”  
  
After this poignant answer almost everybody laughed and Lila, red in face from wrath and abasement, moved to back bench.  
  
“You’ll regret it, Agreste!” she promised in whisper.  
  
“Adrien!” said Miss Bustier. “After this lecture you’ll go to Principal’s office. I need him to decide, how this offence to your classmate should be punished.”  
  
“Yes, Miss Bustier!” said Adrien and sat on his place.  
  
The rest of lecture was relatively normal.  
  
Adrien knocked on familiar door.  
  
Mr. Damocles observed him for a while, before asking a question:  
  
“Why are you here, Mr. Agreste?”  
  
“Miss Bustier considered some my statements as insults to Lila Rossi.”  
  
“What did you tell her?”  
  
“That she told no single truthful sentence and that she would not recognize truth even if that truth would walk to her, dance hula-hula around her and bite her butt.”  
  
Mr. Damocles laughed a bit, but make his face serious looking again:  
  
“Fine, Mr. Agreste. Consider yourself as being punished. I’d appreciate, if you excuse to Miss Rossi for using word butt when speaking about her. I hope not to see you here too soon.”  
  
With that Adrien said Goodbye and left Principal’s office.  
  
On the way to another lecture he was cornered by both Mrs. Mendeleiev and Miss Bustier.  
  
“We need to talk, Mr. Agreste,” said obligate phrase Mrs. Mendeleiev.  
  
“I’m sorry, but I’m late for, actually, your lecture, Mrs. Mendeleiev,” said Adrien.  
  
“Sure, Mr. Agreste,” older teacher snorted. “World will not crumble into small parts, if we come to class together and a bit late.”  
  
“You said not nice things about the French,” accused him Miss Bustier. “Frenchmen are not born-to-betray, as you depicted our Nation on TV.”  
  
“Miss Bustier, I’m extremely sorry to say that, but I say nothing about Frenchmen being betrayers. It was all Chat Noir.”  
  
“But it’s YOU, who’s Chat Noir,” said Miss Bustier. “You didn’t deny that.”  
  
“Off course I didn’t deny that!” explained Adrien. “Have you never see ‘Yes, Minister’ or ‘Yes, Prime Minister’? As Bernard Woolley said, any proclamation should be considered as truth, once it is denied. So I do confirm or deny nothing. That simply…”  
  
When Adrien observed disappointed Miss Bustier, he said:  
  
“On the other hand, what’s worth to mention, during German occupation, the number of Frenchmen killed by La Résistance for collaboration with occupants was bigger, than number of Frenchmen killed by those German occupants.”  
  
“That’s just an awkward statistical deviation!” almost shrieked Mrs. Bustier.  
  
“Caline, please!” said Mrs. Mendeleiev to Miss Bustier. “As teachers we have duty to respect the true, to respect every fact. Even if those facts do contradict to our conviction. So I must accept, Mr. Agreste has a point.”  
  
“Scientists!” the way Miss Bustier told that word was almost like a curse. “Scientists and their numbers!”  
  
To Adrien’s surprise Mrs. Mendeleiev winked on him.  
  
“Seems to me, we outnumbered her,” said Science teacher pun to Adrien surprise. “So Mr. Agreste, time for the Royal Science of Mathematics!”  
  
Adrien chuckled and made a small bow.  
  
“After you, Madam!”  
  
“Nonsense!” said Mrs. Mendeleiev. “Run there and try to tame that pack of feral beasts! Before I’ll come demanding their homework.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
After last lecture Kagami found Adrien and cornered him in corridor.  
  
Japanese girl gave him strange smile.  
  
“Hi Bakeneko!” cheered Kagami waving her hand.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	25. Chapter 25)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 25)  


  
Alya smiled on her boy-friend:  
  
“Nino, could you please go buy food for our tinny little friends?” asked, as there were people around, she cannot use the word kwami.  
  
“Sure,” nodded Nino, used for similar behavior from Alya. “My place or your place?”  
  
“I guess, better your, there it’s a bit less overcrowded.”  
  
Alya decided to follow and stalk Adrien. He behaved a bit strange, well more correct to say, stranger, than usually…  
  
Adrien was cornered by Kagami Tsurugi. Alya uttered a curse, well, only internally. Nobody observed her yet. She did not hear their dialogue, nor observed Adrien’s face grimaces, and from Kagami’s grimace she was unable to read anything. Grimace of Japanese girl was usual mixture of amusement and arrogance. Unfortunately, if she would decide to come closer, they would see her. Not that Alya suspected Adrien to cheat on Marinette with Kagami, well, almost not at all… But, she was SO curious, both as reporter and simply as woman…  
  
Finally both observed persons divided their solo way each. Alya decided to continue following Adrien…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“What?” asked Adrien back to Kagami. “Why do you name me after Japanese mythological demonic Cat?”  
  
“I observed on TV Chat Noir yesterday,” smirked Japanese girl even more. “I mean his fencer duel with that Russian Père Noël parody. And he did exactly same mistakes and has the same fencer ‘handwriting’ like you. There is only one explanation. Means, Chat Noir is you.”  
  
Adrien cocked his head with his usual kind half-smile.  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Really,” nodded Kagami. “I could also easily deduce now, that Marinette is Ladybug. After what happened yesterday, you as Chat Noir most likely found Ladybug’s true identity. Next day you declared your undying love for that girl… Well the way nobody was spared to hear about that…”  
  
“Kagami!” Adrien tried to stop her. “That’s not the way I wanted to let you know.”  
  
“I know,” Japanese girl waved her hand.  
  
“I had my suspicions any way,” she focused into eye contact. “I guess, it’s real, am I not right, what would you say?”  
  
“You got it!” Adrien shook his head. “But what are you going to do?”  
  
“Do you think, I could blackmail you?!” Kagami looked even a bit more arrogant, so Adrien guessed, she is offended and irritated.  
  
“No, that’s not what I mean,” explained Adrien sheepishly. “I tried to be with you and I admire that time, but…”  
  
“But Ladybug is meant to be with Chat Noir, I see,” said Kagami and nodded. “Not that I’m not sad and sorry. Off course I’m, as I really love you. But I know, there’s hardly a way to fight the destiny. If only I could be a part of it all…”  
  
“Well, maybe you could be,” said Adrien. “If you have some free time tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Is that a date offer?” asked Kagami suspiciously with a wit smile.  
  
“No, sorry, Kagami, you told it yourself. I’m with Marinette. But due to some well, Miraculous, problems, I would really need a warrior of your quality.”  
  
“Interesting offer,” said girl. “What time and where should we meet?”  
  
“I could pick you up at about nine in the morning,” answered Adrien. “Would it be convenient for you?”  
  
“OK, tomorrow nine A.M.,” smiled Kagami. “See you!”  
  
Adrien left only to be confronted by Chloé almost at the school door.  
  
“Do you really want to be with Marinette?” asked blond girl. “Not with me?”  
  
“Yes, Chloé, I really do!” answered Adrien. “I will always support you. I will always be here for you, to help you with anything. Well that would not disturb my being with her. But you and I will not be in future, I believe.”  
  
“She’s just a clumsy girl, too nice and kindhearted to everybody. Even to those, who don’t deserve it!”  
  
“Yes, that’s one of things I love about her,” answered Adrien with smile.  
“And I’m superheroine!”  
  
“I know, Queen Bee and I really admire you, I'm proud of you, proud of being your friend,” Adrien made his smile even wider. “But love is something you can’t demand or obtain as winnings. I’m sure, there’s somebody for you.”  
  
Chloé seemed to be brokenhearted, but she wiped off tears and shortly hugged Adrien.  
  
“I’d prefer me to be with you, but I’m glad, at least it’s not Liary Rossi, who wined you over me.”  
  
Adrien gave her his usual smile and waved good bye.  
  
The Gorilla awaited him at opened car door, showing to go in.  
  
“We need to go to Marinette’s house, but first I need to buy some food,” explained Adrien. “She’s sick now, but I want to surprise her with barbecue, once she’ll recover.”  
Bodyguard nodded, still with his usual gloomy face.  
  
Inside of shop Adrien met Nino, who was evidently doing shopping for kwamis.  
  
“Preparing party?” asked him. “I think, once Marinette is healthy again, we should do barbecue for her. By the way, take some more lettuce. Biscuits we could get from her parents, but they have not so much of vegetables ready to use.”  
  
Nino gave him strange and suspicious look. Adrien continued with ostensible unimportant chattering: “So Alya sent you to do shopping. I guessed, it usually begins just after wedding.”  
  
“Said guy, who prepares barbecue for his sweetheart,” laughed Nino. “Well, it’s like trade. You want some benefits, without some exertion you got nothing. Not each of us is like you. Look bro, girls need their boys to smell well, be interested in arts, be presentable dressed, be observant, remember all anniversaries, write poetry, be attentive listeners, bring them flowers, watch romantic films with them… But they don’t understand, actually such boys usually have their own boyfriends already…”  
  
Both boys laughed, even the Gorilla almost smiled.  
  
“I do most of that and I’m not into boys!” objected Adrien.  
  
“Well, bro, but you’re strange exception,” smiled Nino. “If I don’t want to say abomination.”  
  
Adrien laughed and jokingly punched Nino’s shoulder: “So see you, Nino!”  
  
“See you, dude!” laughed Nino back.  
  
The Gorilla gave Nino strange look, shook his head and made grimace forcing Nino leave the shop much more quickly…  
  
Adrien purchased eight parcels, each of 250 g of refrigerated unfrozen beef meat and several family sized packages of Camembert.  
  
“Don’t tell my father about food,” asked Adrien. “You know, how crazy is he with healthy diet for model. Maybe he thinks, I’m rabbit.”  
  
The Gorilla nodded, but showed Adrien to move more quickly. Bodyguard did not mention, that using that amount of Camembert in barbeque would lead to chemical alarm because of terrible smell…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Sabine smiled, seeing Adrien:  
  
“She’s upstairs, awaiting you.”  
  
“I have some food,” Adrien showed his shopping bag. “Once she’s good again, we’ll make barbeque for her.”  
  
“Second fridge on your left,” showed Sabine and smiled even more. “That’s nice from you.”  
  
“He’s perfectly safe here,” said Sabine to the Gorilla. “Wait a moment here, please!”  
  
She ran into shop and in few seconds she was back with three croissants, gratinée with sausage and cheese each. The Gorilla almost smiled and nodded to thank Sabine.  
  
Adrien same time enter Marinette’s room via her trapdoor.  
  
“Luka was here,” said girl. “Just when you leaved, he reappeared. I told him not to come any more, but feel free to teach him to hear me.”  
  
“Trust me m’lady, I could be a perfect teacher for dumb pupil. I’m sorry, but I’m here with the Gorilla, so I should leave soon, before he eats all goods here,” Adrien joked. “Once I finish things in Agreste’s Manor, I’ll come here.”  
  
“As my personal knight in shining black leather?” smirked Marinette. “I’ll wait for you. Try to do not much noise during approaching.”  
  
“Sure,” nodded Adrien. “Will you need to measure me?”  
  
“Yes, take that shirt down!”  
  
“Don’t you have some music for that?” Adrien’s wit question made Marinette blush.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Alya observed Adrie’s car parked next to entrance to bakery. His bodyguard was inside, but she knew, how she could sneak into Marinette’s room without being observed. The Gorilla left the place to check the car.  
  
“Hi Kitsune!” heard Alya from her back not so familiar girl’s voice.  
  
Once she turned, Kagami was there, with a wit half-smile on her face.  
  
“What!” asked Alya.  
  
Japanese girl looked on her with attention, like if she studied an strange insect, impaled on entomological pin.  
  
“I’m asking, Kitsune, whether are you stalking him, her, or them both?”  
  
“Whom do you think I’m stalking and what the Hell means Kitsune?”  
  
“Kitsune is fox demon in our mythology,” smirked Kagami. “Or would you rather prefer being named Rena Rouge?”  
  
Seeing consternated Alya’s face she added: “And you’re evidently stalking either Adrien Agreste, or Marinette Dupain-Cheng or both of them.”  
  
“How?”  
  
“How did I figured out?” asked Japanese girl. “You’re same tall, however you always chase after akumas and superheroes, you’re never closed to cases with Rena Rouge and there’s simply too little about her on Ladyblog. So it’s simple to figure out, you don’t write about Rena Rouge either, because you hate her, what’s unlikely or, because you actually ARE Rena Rouge and you feel, it’s better not to blow your own trumpet.”  
  
“Did you figured out also other superheroes?” asked Alya consternated.  
  
“I did,” smirked Kagami. “But I give you time till Monday, maybe you’ll find yourself. After all, you’re the reporter here.”  
  
“I’m going to see, whether Marinette is in progress with Adrien,” said Alya. “Would you go with me or is it too painful for you, once you wanted Adrien too.”  
  
“Yes, Kitsune,” smiled Kagami a bit sadly. “I want him. Really badly. But he’s too in love with Marinette and she’s good girl, whom I could respect. I’ll watch them for some time. If I’m not satisfied, I’d take action.”  
  
Alya gave her a look. Kagami was somebody, no person with common sense wanted to be enemy with.  
  
“Let’s go,” she said finally. “I’m curious, how my BFF deals with Adrien.”  
  
Both girls entered bakery from another side, so the Gorilla did not observe them.  
  
Sabine Cheng frowned on Japanese girl.  
  
She made a deep bow.  
  
“I am Kagami Tsurugi. I swear in my family honor, nobody from my family was ever in Nanking or take action in anything dishonest in China. My family is of warriors, so my ancestors and relatives took part in battles, but not in massacres of unarmed civilians.”  
  
Sabine shortly nodded.  
  
“OK. If you harm my daughter or her boyfriend, I’d finish you. Do you trust me and do you understand me?”  
  
“I hear you sound and clearly!” said Kagami. “I swear not to attack anybody as first.”  
  
“That would be difference from your behavior as akuma,” chuckled Alya.  
  
“What I did as akuma was influenced by Hawkmoth,” frowned Japanese girl. “It was a shame for me and I’ll do my best to avoid repeating that.”  
  
“OK,” said Sabine. “Marinette and Adrien are upstairs. Alya, you know the way.”  
  
Both girls silently and quickly ran the stairs.  
  
“So you two lovebirds…” said Alya, opening the trapdoor.  
  
She stepped aside, so Kagami could also enter Marinette’s room. They both observed half naked Adrien, being measured with tailor’s tape measure in Marinette’s hands.  
  
Marinette squeaked and almost trapped, but Adrien caught her into firm hug.  
  
“Don’t worry, m’lady,” he whispered into her ear.  
  
“So, what is it here?” asked Alya.  
  
“I need to measure him for costume for Halloween party next Saturday,” explained Marinette.  
  
“What costume?” asked Alya consternated a bit.  
  
“Adrien will be Robin Hood and I’ll be Marion.”  
  
“Good,” smirked Kagami. “Adrien, you should buy two longbows and quivers. Also do not forget archer’s bracers.”  
  
“With longbow they could hardly dance,” said Alya. “Rather shorter bows for mounted archery. They could hardly use it to hunt or kill anything.”  
  
“That beats all fun from that!” laughed Kagami.  
  
“OK, OK,” said Adrien. “I think, we should leave Marinette, so she could better recover, while sleeping.”  
  
He wore his shirt, being his back to both Alya and Kagami, giving that way time for Plagg to hide inside.  
  
“Go! Go! Go!” he moved his hands, like if he drove them back.  
  
Alya giggled and Kagami gave both her and Adrien annoyed look.  
  
“It was nice from you to make a visit here, but it’s time to go,” said Adrien and Sabine gave him a wink. “See you both!”  
  
Alya and Kagami left, observing Adrien sitting in his car.  
  
“He hides something,” said Kagami.  
  
“Well, at least upstairs was not much left hidden,” protested Alya.  
  
“He had his trousers still on,” objected Kagami.  
  
“Maybe we came too soon,” smirked Alya.  
  
“Maybe,” nodded Kagami. “But his bodyguard was here, if they decided doing something well… ‘interesting’ would mean, the Gorilla would leave this place, not wasting time.”  
“Maybe you’re right,” said Alya. “I know, you like him, but I ship Adrien being together with Marinette, not with you. No offence.”  
  
“None taken, Kitsune.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Adrien entered Agreste Manor, Nathalie awaited him.  
  
“Your father awaits you for dinner in ten minutes.”  
  
“Is he mad, because of brawl?”  
  
“Well, he would prefer it, without pub brawl scenes*,” said his father’s assistant. “But we managed to use the necessary ballyhoo for promotional purposes after your Sunday photoshoot.”  
  
(For picturesque pub brawl scene find on internet picture “Josef Lada Rvacka v Hospode”)  
  
Nathalie beckoned Adrien to go to dining room.  
  
“May I have your phone?” she asked and boy nodded and handed it over to her.  
  
As Adrien expected, dinner was vegetable salad, ‘rabbit food’, as usual.  
  
“So had you a good time?” asked Gabriel.  
  
“Yes father,” Adrien smiled and nodded.  
  
“May I see your ring?” demanded his father.  
  
“Better not, it’s uneasy to take it down,” equivocated boy.  
  
Gabriel stood up.  
  
“GIVE ME YOUR MIRACULOUS!” he shrieked.  
  
Adrien glared on his father in disbelief.  
  
“Nooroo, dark wings…”  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…  
  
  
  
Author’s note:  
  
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  
  
These words from Neil Armstrong became world-famous, remembered for ever. On July 20, 1969, 50 years ago first men landed on Moon surface. That was probably the biggest success of human race in history, what should be never forgotten…


	26. Chapter 26)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 26)  


  
When Moth kwami appeared, Adrien did not waste time nor hesitated. In moment his father demanded for his ring, boy started to stand up and now he grabbed his plate and threw it like an Frisbee to his father. Gabriel got off course no hit, he parried it by left hand, but his catchphrase was interrupted and he did not transform to Hawkmoth immediately.  
  
Nooroo pretended being scared and moved away, to slow next attempt of Hawkmoth’s transformation and to buy some time for Adrien. He knew, Gabriel will punish him for that later, but now he has to help Black Cat Miraculous holder…  
  
Adrien ran towards window.  
  
“Plagg, claws out!” ordered running fast.  
  
Few seconds later he, transformed already, shouted “CATACLYSM!” and jumped through window crumping into dust.  
  
“If I'm allowed to say that,” said Nathalie. “You screwed up royally, sir.”  
  
“Tell me something I don’t know!” answered Gabriel. “But when he showed being so calm, I just simply lost my temper.”  
  
“Hghmm…,” snorted his assistant. “What will Adrien do? What do you think?”  
  
“I believe, he runs to Marinette, to protect her,” said fashion designer.  
  
“Should I transform too and help you to catch him?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“I guess, better stay here and try to find something usable in his phone,” Gabriel shook his head. “What bugs me a bit is problem, once Chat Noir has said, Ladybug's abilities don't work, that her Miraculous could become just a jewelry good for none…”  
  
“But IT IS possible!” blurted Nooroo. “Tikki as kwami could die, if being attacked after being deadly exhausted or really deadly ill. Yes, she would be replaced by newborn kwami of Creation, but without Tikki's personage and without bonds to Ladybug's Miraculous.”  
  
“WHAT?!?” Gabriel shrieked. “Nooroo! You IMBECILLE! Why didn't you tell me sooner?”  
  
“But Master!” protested Nooroo.  
  
“We WILL talk about that later. Nooroo, dark wings rise!”  
  
As Hawkmoth he turned to his assistant again:  
  
“Try to find something usable in Adrien's phone. If you find potential location of Master Fu's place, let me know.”  
  
“At least he didn't cataclysmed you, but the window,” said Nathalie.  
  
“Sure,” nodded Gabriel. “He's good boy. I mustn’t harm him and evidently I shouldn't harm Marinette. But I MUST force them to give up their Miraculouses. I simply MUST do that!”  
  
Nathalie wisely did not comment that…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Adrien, being Chat Noir right now for rest five minutes, ran towards Tom and Sabine bakery.  
  
He felt to be lost now. His schoolbag was forgotten in Marinette's room. He did not think he would need to run in haste. His phone was in Nathalie's hands, he had no money, no phone, and no Camembert for Plagg. So once his transformation falls, he'll need to run there by foot. So he needed to make at least two phone-calls.  
  
“Master Fu!” Adrien called old master first. “My father revealed himself as Hawkmoth and demanded for my Miraculous. He has my phone, so he can find GPS coordinates of your place. I really hope, you're out of your place now!”  
  
“Sure, Adrien!” answered Fu. “Will you come to me or to Ladybug?”  
  
“To Ladybug,” answered Adrien. “I must protect her. Without her and without her lucky charm we're lost. I don't think, we coul safely escape. We should better try to fortify bakery for this one night.”  
  
“It's probably worth to risk,” agreed Master Guardian. “Risk of escape into the blind darkness is similar to risk fighting with Hawkmoth without lucky charm. We'll see, how many idiots will let themselves be akumatised.”  
  
“I hope my warning was enough,” said Adrien. “I'll let you know, once there will be anything new to report. Bye!”  
  
“Bye!” answered Fu.  
  
Short after that he called to his girlfriend:  
  
“Marinette, father just revealed himself as Hawkmoth. He demanded for my Miraculous. I used my powers and I have no food for Plagg right now, hard to say, whether I succeed to come without detransformation.”  
  
“That's horrible!” said Marinette. “Are you OK?”  
  
“Well, if I ignore fact, that my father is idiot, who plays to be supervillain, terrorizing Paris and is probably on my heels and that’s why we'll have to fortify your bakery and explain everything to your parents, yes and that your lucky charm is unavailable, everything is in best imaginable order and I could hardly feel better!”  
  
Adrien was sour, but Marinette giggled:  
  
“Don't worry, mom and dad will help for sure!”  
  
“I'd better prefer to do things without bothering our parents…”  
  
“It's not your fault, but of your father!” said his girlfriend.  
  
“And of Nathalie,” added Adrien. “She most likely has Peacock Miraculous now, I believe, she's Mayora.”  
  
“Probably,” agreed Marinette. “Hurry up! I go to inform my parents.”  
  
Adrien ran on rooftops, what helped him to avoid being observed by bystanders.  
  
“Son STOP!” shrieked Hawkmoth on his back. “We don't need to fight! We should collaborate and do things together, as family…”  
  
Adrien knew, it was a mistake to turn back. But he simply cannot help himself. He tried leap with his baton, but Hawkmoth easily dodged, even not using own cane to block it.  
“WHY?!?” asked Chat Noir. “Why the fucking heck do you do all of this?”  
  
“For you!” answered Hawkmoth. “And for Emilia!”  
  
“Mum?!?” asked Chat Noir. “What?!?”  
  
“I will explain you everything,” said Hawkmoth. “Just give me your and Ladybug's Miraculouses. Miss Dupain-Cheng could go with us as guest and observe everything…”  
  
“Forget it!” shrieked Chat Noir. “Leave her alone! Leave my friends alone! Leave me alone, as you always did so!”  
  
“But Adrien…”  
  
Black Cat Miraculous beeped for warning…  
  
“Later, father!” answered Chat Noir and jumped downstairs, running through the streets.  
  
The transformation dropped, with flesh of green lightning, once he was in some ten meters from bakery, thankfully nobody observed that. Plagg hided in his usual hiding spot and tiredly breathed. Adrien ran to the bakery door, when Tom opened door and pulled him inside.  
  
“So son, you’re Chat Noir, what a surprise!” he said.  
  
Few seconds later Sabine appeared with one parcel of beef meat and one portion of Camembert.  
  
“What needs your kwami to eat?” asked.  
  
Plagg did not wait for invitation or anything, zipped out from hiding under Adrien’ shirt and gobbled piece of Camembert almost with Sabine’s fingers.  
  
“Plagg!” shrieked Adrien. “Behave yourself!”  
  
“He’s hungry,” said Sabine, patted kwami’s little head and scratched on back of his ears. “He purrs!” she said in surprise.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Lila observed Marinette’s house, plotting, what could she do to injure her concurrent female. She did her best to got mad enough to attract an akuma.  
  
When she observed green lightning and in next second Adrien running into Marinette's father's bakery, being pulled inside. Observing that caused Lila to be mad of wrath.  
Finally one akuma flied to her and infected her earring.  
  
“Hello Lila!” she heard Hawkmoth’s voice in her own head. “Nice to work with you again!”  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	27. Chapter 27)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 27)  


  
Luka observed Marinette’s house from another street, preluding on guitar in his hands. He was thinking about serenade for Marinette. He was pretty sure, she could not resist his song, so he would win her back from that model clown. Strange fleshing of green lightning attracted his attention. He observed Adrien damned Agreste running, like with whole Hell on his heels. Luka did not know, who could chase after Adrien, but it seemed look like a good chance, somebody would do a dirty work of finishing model boy instead of Luka…  
  
To musician’s disappointment, door of bakery opened and let Adrien in. Tom Dupain was acting, like if that boy was an hero from La Résistance or what the heck…  
  
Luka got really angry, he did not notice akuma, infecting his guitar.  
  
“Panthère Blanc,” purred Hawkmoth’s voice in his mind. “Chat Noir and Ladybug are protecting Adrien Agreste, helping him to date with girl you want so badly. Obtain for me their Miraculouses.”  
  
“Yes, Hawkmoth!” answered Panthère Blanc…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“We must go to check Marinette upstairs!” said Adrien. Once his kwami ate piece of Camembert, he ordered: “Plagg, claws out!”  
  
As Chat Noir he hurried upstairs just to observe Hawkmoth nearing to Marinette, who without fear touched him with a little broom, just to let everybody observe disappearance of illusion.  
  
“This is the fifth one now,” she said. “I guess Volpina is somewhere near.”  
  
“Chat Noir, if you wish, I could check surroundings for potential enemies,” offered Roar. “After that, Marinette could hide Tikki in her pocket and I could transform her. So she could join the battle, Tikki would be better protected and eve I could provide her a part of my own energy to accelerate her recovery.”  
  
“Good idea, do it!” said Marinette. “Before you say anything Kitty, I’m tired of laying in my bed without possibility to do something.”  
  
Chat Noir, as well as Marinette’s parents decided rather to shut up…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Hawkmoth stopped to observe on one roof, with good view to Marinette’s balcony. He found two enemies of both Marinette and Adrien, with perfect potential for akumatization. Lila Rossi, who was evil liar by her very own nature, and Luka Couffaine, after rejection he was almost non compos mentis.  
  
“Volpina, send some illusions of me to Marinette’s room! Once I come there myself, she will not recognize true me.”  
  
“Sure Hawkmoth!” laughed Volpina evilly. “She’ll be scared to death!”  
  
Hawkmoth doubted it, but Lila was always expendable…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
When Roaar returned, he saluted to Chat Noir:  
  
“True Hawkmoth is there on roof,” he showed by his paw. “There downstairs is akumatized girl, similar to Rena Rouge a bit. Second akumatized is boy, now looking like a snow leopard with blue hairs on his head. He climbs here and will be here soon.”  
  
“I bet, that it’s Luka,” said Chat Noir. “I’ll give him a thrashing. If my father came here, try to stall him. In necessary case we could call other heroes to come here as backup.”  
  
“OK,” said Marinette, putting panjas bracelet on her right wrist and connected rings on her fingers. “I’ll slap Volpina around. Each of us can have a good time.”  
  
“Fine,” said Roaar. “Take Tikki into your pocket and say ‘Roaar, stripes on!’ It’s similar to your own kwami. Stripes off! It's for detransformation.”  
  
Marinette placed tired Tikki into her pocket without waking her.  
  
“Roarr, stripes on!” ordered girl.  
  
When Marinette was transformed, she looked quite similar to Chat Noir. As weapon she had something like bullwhip, attached on her back on belt. Her ears were almost identical to Chat Noirs, but rounded, mask and costume were both covered with black and yellow stripes.  
  
“Meet Tigresse!” said Marinette.  
  
“It looks cool!” said Chat Noir. “I’ll solve the imminent problem with Panthère Blanc. Hand Miraculouses to your parents and explain them rules.”  
  
“Sure, mon Chatton,” answered Tigresse and pulled him to quick hug and kiss. “Remember, don’t let yourself be killed!”  
  
“Don’t worry!” smiled Chat Noir back and left her bedroom upstairs to balcony. “I do catfights much longer, than him.”  
  
Once he was there, he touched three Hawkmoths by his baton. None of them was real. He observed Panthère Blanc climbing upstairs and let his baton elongate into long stick, hitting akuma’s head mercilessly. Panthère Blanc fell off a wall, but downstairs he landed on all four and picked himself up quickly. He had similar stick to Chat’s Noir and cat themed hero only thanks to his fencing drill was not hit. Chat Noir followed Panthère Blanc down, well, a bit more gracefully and downstairs he got himself ready to fight…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Tigresse handed her mother Monkey Miraculous looking like circlet and small monkey kwami appeared.  
  
“So you’ll be my wielder,” said monkey kwami. “I’m Xuppu. Say Xuppu, Showtime! And I’ll transform you into Monkey Queen. After the fun is done, say Xuppu Finish Show!”  
  
Sabine place circlet on her head and said: “Xuppu, Showtime!”  
  
Her transformation was wild and as Monkey Queen she darted upstairs, without a word.  
  
“Follow her!” said Tigresse and handed her father Dog Miraculous, looking like a torc.  
  
“Barkk to your servis!” appeared small dog kwami. “I usually guard objects, so I can grant you power to sniff out an intruder. Say ‘Barkk, on patrol!’ and ‘Barkk out of patrol!’”  
  
“Bark on patrol!” said Tom.  
  
Transformed into dog themed hero, he made a short look on himself in mirror.  
  
“You can name me Beauceron!”  
  
Being transformed to Beauceron Tom had simple sheet-metal helmet and halberd with relatively short shaft. He looked like real guard dog, more, than when he was akumatized as Weredad.  
  
“If Hawkmoth come here, I’d kick his ass!” said and followed his wife.  
  
Tigresse heaved a sigh. Her parents were maybe a little bit too enthusiastic…  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	28. Chapter 28)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 28)  


  
Marinette, well, Tigresse now, came to balcony as last. She observed her parents, transformed into superheroes, destroying illusions of Hawkmoth as well as illusions of monsters of random type one-by-one…  
  
“It’s so refreshing!” laughed her mother, Monkey Queen now, banging head of Darkblade with her staff just to observe his disappearing. “I understand, why do you love it that much.”  
  
“OK, mum, dad, try to listen me for a moment!” asked Tigresse. “Hawkmoth could come here, covered by all these illusions. First of all, don’t get killed or wounded! If possible, try to stall him for a while, maybe we could catch him together. If necessary, I could call for some other heroes as backup. But I’d rather prefer do everything tomorrow morning with Tikki ready to transform me. We simply need to keep this place safe, so she could rest enough to heal herself. I’ll go first to settle things with Lila, she’s here as Volpina, sending these illusions. Once I finish her, I’ll be here to help you, but for now, please, be safe as first thing!”  
  
“Sure, Mari!” smiled her father. “But you must let us some fun!”  
  
“OK!” nodded Tigresse. “Just remember, you’re who should be reasonable!”  
  
“Really?!?” asked Monkey Queen and laughed loudly. “Now I feel like being in your age again! Give Volpina also one kick in my name!”  
  
Tigresse used her bullwhip similar way, as she was used to use her yo-yo as Ladybug. With that help she was quickly, but safe way downstairs and tried to find, where was Lila hiding.  
  
She observed several Volpinas, as was usual trick used by this akuma. Lashing with bullwhip destroyed all fake illusions. One last standing true Volpina kept her butts both-handed, where she got hit by whip. Tigresse laughed. That could hardly be even better! Now she could have some fun herself too! With several lashes of her whip she moved to akumatized girl. One simple idea and bullwhip elongated itself and looped around Volpina’s body, fixing even one hand into bondage. Volpina panicked, jumped vertically, disengaging herself. Volpina, still in jump, used her flute and created another set of dozens of her images. These illusions ran into all vectors. Without using of special power Tigresse was unable chose, which of them she should chase. She had no ability to purify akuma, so there was in fact no sense continuing in this fight, once Lila managed to escape…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Luka, akumatized as Panthère Blanc was bigger and stronger, than Chat Noir. But on the other hand, he was no real warrior in civil life, contrary to his opponent. Panthère’s attacks were unskillful and rather random swinging of staff, rather, than Chat’s much more efficient blows and butt¬endings. Chat Noir changed to stick-fighting style ‘le Moulinette’, rotating his staff in his hands. The blow, hitting Panthère’s Blanc right wrist, broke it and akuma lost his weapon. Chat Noir gave him another punch to keep him out of his staff.  
  
Whimpering Panthère Blanc made few steps out of Chat Noir, who broke akuma’s staff, so well-known dark butterfly appeared and staff changed itself back to guitar with broken neck. Chat Noir tried to kill akuma with his own staff, but butterfly escaped easily into darkness. Panthère Blanc changed back to Luka, who looked being paralyzed by fear and surprise…  
  
Chat Noir grabbed broken guitar and stroke Luka’s head with guitar, so that guitar sound board was around Luka’s neck like a strange collard.  
  
Luka looked on Chat Noir confused.  
  
“Why?…”  
  
“Why do I harm you?” asked Chat Noir. “You managed to let be akumatized. I warned everybody not to do so before m’lady will be healthy and ready for action…”  
  
“But…” Luka was evidently upset, when he tried to speak again. “But I’m in love with Marinette and she chose that pimp and when he came here, I simply exploded…”  
  
“Pimp?” asked Chat Noir and cocked his head.  
  
“Adrien fucking Agreste!” shrieked Luka. “He was blind, not seeing her and I helped her when she was heartbroken. I succeeded fall in love with her and now he decided demand her for him himself…”  
  
“Whom did Marinette chose?” asked Chat Noir cold voiced.  
  
“Him…” almost sobbed Luka. “But that’s so unfair!”  
  
“Life is unfair from its basement,” answered Chat Noir. “Your behavior is insane and I believe you need a therapy. Meet your therapist!” said and showed his right boot.  
Before Luka was able to do anything, Chat Noir hurried to him and his heavy boot landed on Luka’s butt so hard, that if Luka had not guitar sound board around his neck, his lips would kiss pavement.  
  
“When girl said, she doesn’t want you…” -KICK!- “…you can try to cajole her…” -KICK!- “… but no way you dare try to kill her with dagger…” -KICK!- “… or invade her room in form of predator beast…” -KICK!- “… coming uninvited…” -KICK!-  
  
After sixth kick Tigresse appeared.  
  
“Mon Chatton, it’s a way too cruel!” said and hugged Chat Noir from his right side.  
  
For Adrien’s surprise Tigresse’s bullwhip, now attached on her back on belt again, elongated itself and tied Chat’s right and Tigresse’s left legs together, even Chat’s left leg was also fixed not to move. Tigresse kissed Chat Noir with strange hunger, probably caused partly thanks to excitement from fight and danger.  
  
When Luka stared on both superheroes in disbelief, Tigresse looked on him:  
  
“Run, you fool!”  
  
When Chat Noir tried to release himself from her hug, she tightened the grip.  
  
“Let that idiot go!” after whisper into Chat’s ear she slightly bitted his ear.  
  
For Adrien it was like electrocuting shock, as he shivered by full his body.  
  
“So it works on you!” said Tigresse a bit triumphantly and laughed.  
  
“Sure!” answered Chat Noir by hiss into hear ear, biting her back and causing her similar effect. “None of us is made from stone!”  
  
Luka ceased starring and hobbled away…  
  
Once he disappeared from sight, both superheroes together moved to Marinette’s balcony.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Hawkmoth missed the best time forhis attack. In moment, when he finally decided to jump to balcony of Dupain-Cheng bakery, Tigresse already drew Volpina away, so there were no new illusions. When he deflected Beauceron’s halberd with his cane, Monkey Queen’s staff hit his back.  
  
Tom, well Beauceron now, had to admit, Gabriel Agreste, aka Hawkmoth now, was better in fighting. He evidently trained fencing or maybe Canne de combat, French martial art with cane. With his walking cane he was able to deflect Beauceron’s halberd and only longer range of Beauceron’s weapon prevented Tom’s disarmament. Without help of his wife, Monkey Queen now, he would lose this fight pretty quickly…  
  
“Nobody invited you here, Clothes Moth!” screamed Monkey Queen, hammering Hawkmoth’s back with her staff.  
  
When Hawkmoth observed two other heroes appearing, he unsheathed sword from his cane, scabbard part in his left hand he used as cudgel and with sword he made several wild slash lunges to disengage from duel and jumped to balustrade around balcony.  
  
“As limbering-up exercise it was enough,” said. “See you later!”  
  
With long jump he left for neighbor roof.  
  
“Should we follow him?” asked Beauceron with heavy breathing from strain.  
  
“Better not,” said Tigresse. “Right now it’s a draw, we’ll finish that tomorrow, we need find also Mayura, holder of Peacock Miraculous.”  
  
“That’s most probably Nathalie, my father’s assistant,” said Chat Noir. “Father said something strange, when he chased me.”  
  
“What?” asked Tigresse.  
  
“That he does everything because of my mother,” answered Chat Noir. “I suspect, she didn’t mysteriously disappear, but died and father hushed that up. Now he wants to return her back by Miraculous Wish. What scares me most is, what could be the price of such wish. There’s no such thing like a free lunch,” he explained and suddenly fainted…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Master Fu fastened Dragon Miraculous, beaded choker, on his neck.  
  
“Longg, bring the storm!”  
  
Being transformed into dragon was not his usual transformation, but he found it handy now, as Longg was willing to help him by his own power.  
  
Sass observed him for a moment:  
  
“Massster Dragon, give my Miraculousss into boxsss, but let me out!”  
  
“Why?” asked Master Fu.  
  
“I’ll protect Miraculousss boxsss by my own powersss,” explained snake kwami.  
  
Storage room, rented on fake name, was pretty anonymous, as Master Fu decided as the best.  
  
“OK,” nodded, when placed Snake Miraculous into Miraculous Box. “Show yourself!”  
  
“Place the boxsss near the wall!” ordered Sass.  
  
Once Master Fu did so, Sass placed himself on top of Box, forming from his body something like lemniscate, symbol of infinity, biting his own tail.  
  
“Now sssay Sasss,‘Ouroborosss Lock!’”  
  
“Sass, Ouroboros Lock!”  
  
Miraculous Box disappeared, likely into the wall, however Master Fu was quite sure, it was in fact hidden in an pocket dimension somewhere out of there…  
  
He could still observe Sass in lemniscate form on the wall.  
  
“Only sssomebody with magical abilitiesss could sssee me and I’ll open only for you or for Ladybug,” explained snake kwami.  
  
Master Fu knew, if somebody would try to open the Box, Sass’s neurotoxin would paralyze such cheeky bastard effectively…  
  
“I’ll go to see, whether did Hawkmoth found my place or did not yet.”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Chat’s Noir transformation dropped and extremely pissed Plagg appeared.  
  
“What do you gawk on?!?” he almost screamed. “He hadn’t properly rested for a pretty long time and the rabbit food his father orders to be served is for no good. He needs more sleep and more cheese and same do I need too!”  
  
Beauceron tried to lift Adrien from floor, but boy came around, same suddenly as he fainted. He quickly winked with his eyes and slowly turned his head.  
  
“Did I lost conscious?” asked silently.  
  
“Yes, for a moment,” answered Tigresse. “How do you feel?”  
  
“Drained,” said Adrien. “Sorry, maybe I’m not such a help I should be…”  
  
“Nonsense!” said Monkey Queen. “Tom will help you to bathroom for to do night hygiene, I’ll find some pajama for you and you’ll eat something. We can watch this house through the night, so you two could take off soon in the morning.”  
  
“Fine,” aid Tigresse. “Roaar, stripes off!”  
  
Tiger kwami looked sadly on Adrien on floor.  
  
“This will not be easy tomorrow, Chat Noir,” he said. “Now I’ll need a piece of raw meat and I could help you with watching this place.”  
  
Marinette looked on Adrien with disagreement.  
  
“You were needlessly cruel to Luka!” she accused.  
  
“I’m Yang to your Yin,” said Adrien. “Luka is just another Yin. Yin-Yang means harmony. Yin-Yin is just a name for panda. That cretin reappeared more regularly, than raw broccoli.”  
  
“Adrien, I really love you, but you should be a bit less jealous. I like Luka, probably same way like YOU like Chloé Burgeois.”  
  
“Really ONLY that way?” Adrien looked suspiciously, but on the other hand, he was happy Marinette did not mention Kagami Tsurugi…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Hawkmoth called to Nathalie:  
  
“Did you found something in Adrien’s phone?”  
  
“There’s massage parlor, sir,” said his assistant. “Owned by an Chinese. I already sent you GPS coordinates.”  
  
“That’s probably Master Fu’s place,” agreed Hawkmoth. “I’ll check it. You were right Nathalie, you should go with me, with your help I could possibly win. But never mind, we’ll defeat them tomorrow, I’m quite sure, they’ll come here.”  
  
“Sure sir,” answered Nathalie. “I’ll switch the security on higher level.”  
  
“Do that!” ordered Hawkmoth. “I’ll have a conversation with Master Fu now.”  
  
He moved to place according coordinates.  
  
On door was a simple notice ‘For family reason closed. Clients will be informed before reopening.’ So Adrien informed Miraculous Guardian…  
  
“Hello, Gabriel!” he heard from his back.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


	29. Chapter 29)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue...

Chapter 29)  


  
During shower Adrien several times almost blackened out. Pajama Tom offered him was so big, that he could accept an lodger inside…  
  
He sat on sofa, trying not to fall asleep right on place. When Marinette appeared with four croissants, gratinée with ham and cheese inside of each, he smiled:  
  
“Thanks, but that’s too much.”  
  
“I’s not only for you, two are for me,” smiled Marinette back. “I suppose you’re not against having dinner with me now.”  
  
“Sure,” nodded Adrien. “I love you and I love spending time with you.”  
  
During dinner they both were in silence.  
  
“I’m sorry. I’m not the best companion right now, muttered Adrien.  
  
“Nonsense,” said Marinette. “There are moments, when we can just stay quiet together…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Баллада о борьбе...............................................................................Ballad about battle  
  
Владимир Высоцкий...........................................................................Vladimir Vysotsky, transl. Alex Lvovsky  
  
Сpедь оплывших свечей и вечеpних молитв,.....................................Amidst molten candles and sundown prayers  
Сpедь военных тpофеев и миpных костpов ......................................Amidst war trophies and fires of peace  
Жили книжные дети, не знавшие битв,..............................................Lived book children, who knew no battles  
Изнывая от мелких своих катастpоф.................................................Anguishing their minor catastrophies  
  
Детям вечно досаден........................................................................Children always complain  
Их возpаст и быт, - ..........................................................................of their age and their lot  
И дpались мы до ссадин,..................................................................And we fought until slain  
До смеpтных обид............................................................................And schemed mortal plots.  
  
Hо одежды латали............................................................................And our clothes were patched  
Hам матеpи в сpок,...........................................................................By our mothers with haste  
Мы же книги глотали,.......................................................................We then swallowed books  
Пьянея от стpок. ..............................................................................Getting drunk of the taste.  
  
Липли волосы нам на вспотевшие лбы,...........................................Hair stuck to our sweaty foreheads,  
И сосало под ложечкой сладко от фpаз,.........................................Phrases sucking air right out from our guts,  
И кpужил наши головы запах боpьбы,............................................And our heads spun by combat's fragrance,  
Со стpаниц пожелтевших слетая на нас. .......................................From the yellowed pages descending on us.  
  
И пытались постичь........................................................................And attempted to reach  
Мы, не знавшие войн,.....................................................................We who knew battles not  
За воинственный клич.................................................................... With a war-calling screech  
Пpинимавшие вой,..........................................................................Giving it all we got  
  
Тайну слова "пpиказ",.....................................................................Secret of "order" was passed  
Hазначенье гpаниц,........................................................................Borders suddenly sprang  
Смысл атаки и лязг.........................................................................What it means to attack  
Боевых колесниц............................................................................And war chariots clang.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Juleka observed her brother returning home. He was evidently broken by some disaster. Luka kept wreck of his guitar in his arms like a death baby. He terribly hobbled.  
“What has happened?” asked Juleka.  
  
“Chat Noir destroyed my guitar,” answered Luka.  
  
“Why would one of Paris heroes do that?” Juleka was surprised.  
  
“I observed Marinette’s house and Agreste came there.”  
  
“Adrien Agreste or Gabriel Agreste?”  
  
“Adrien.”  
  
“Good, so you observed Marinette’s house and after Adrien’s arrival Chat Noir destroyed your guitar. Sorry bro, but that sounds like a nonsense to me.”  
  
Luka preferred to look on destroyed guitar.  
  
“I got akumatized.”  
  
“So, you observed Adrien coming to his girlfriend and you got akumatized. Is it so?”  
  
“Marinette’s father invited him like an hero or what.”  
  
“Maybe he is a hero,” said Juleka thoughtfully. Could Adrien be Chat Noir himself? She did not say it aload.  
  
“Nonsense!” Luka’s answer was brusque. “Agreste is nothing better than just a spoiled brat from rich family.”  
  
Juleka knew, her brother was wrong, but he was evidently not in mood to hear the voice of reason. She shook her head.  
  
“Chat Noir warned everybody not to get akumatized BEFORE Ladybug is back in business. You ignored this warning. Now place somewhere that wreck. Maybe, if you are SUPER lucky, miraculous cure could restore it, once Ladybug will recover. And Adrien asked me to warn you. Next time he will have no mercy with you.”  
  
Luka stared on his sister in disbelief. Does she side Agreste against own brother? Without another word he moved to his bed…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Gabriel Agreste turned to the voice on his back. Man, more than two heads less tall than him, in dragon costume looked on him with knowing smile.  
  
“Weng Fu,” answered Hawkmoth. “Seems, Adrien informed you.”  
  
“Yes, Gabriel, why do you do that?”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“You don’t need more money, you have perfect son, cute house. I don’t think you’re powerthirsty man. So why doing all this akumatizations?”  
  
“Because of my wife.”  
  
“What has happened to her?”  
  
“She used Peacock Miraculous. Do you know Adrien well?”  
  
“Not perfectly, but quite well,” answered Master Fu.  
  
“His green eyes, it’s not his only genetic heritage after his mother. She had also feather allergy, same as my son has. And using that Miraculous, she was all in feathers, totally covered. Her allergic reaction was so strong, it killed her, like an magical anaphylactic shock. We had no idea, magically created feathers could cause allergic reaction too.”  
  
“Is she really dead?” asked Master Fu. “Miraculous should protect its wielder. On the other hand, vital power released by death caused by Miraculous should damage that Miraculous.”  
  
“Yes, Peacock Miraculous is damaged. It works, but drains powers of its wielder.”  
  
“I could check your wife, if body was not really destroyed, maybe there is another chance, than The Wish.”  
  
“Be my guest, Master Fu,” answered Gabriel. “But I need to keep upper hand.”  
  
“That’s not how it works,” Miraculous Guardian gave him sad smile. “I need both Miraculouses returned into my hands prior I try to find healing for your wife. Remember one thing. The Wish is powerful, but also dangerous. The Universe needs to be balanced. If the Universe return your wife, it would need repay for that. Life for life. And not a random life, nor your or for example my life. The Universe would need almost for sure life of your son. Would you trade your only son, your future, for your wife, for your past?”  
  
Hawkmoth tried to attack Master Fu with his sword, he suddenly unsheathed from his cane.  
  
Master Dragon breathed out some flames:  
  
“Moths are not flameproof. Think about what I said.”  
  
With these words Master Fu disappeared into darkness…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Adrien’s sleep was rather like a coma. When Marinette came to check him, she observed, his breathing is shallow and weak. When she touched his forehead, she was surprised, how cold his skin seemed to her. His kwami lied on pillar placed on chair next to his head.  
  
“What’s wrong with him, Plagg?” Marinette asked grumpy Black Cat kwami.  
  
“He’s tired,” answered Plagg. As his answer was not fierce, Marinette recognized, it could be really serious. “His father fed him not like a growing teenager with sport activities, but like an salad-chewing guinea-pig. And your threatening yesterday was worse, than it seemed to be that moment. You’re good Ladybug, he’s really good Chat Noir, however none of you I’d name as best. Both of you are of few. But that threating affected him much more, than he showed to you. Even more, than he showed to me. Plus shock from his father being Hawkmoth and constant reappearance of that blue-haired cretin. So he’s drained, both physically and emotionally.”  
  
“May I help him?” asked Marinette. “Not that I would want to have sex with him…”  
  
“Yep!” smirked Plagg. “You don’t want to have sex with him and I’m 195 cm tall. Actually, you could help. Sleeping with him, but without sex.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“Bring Tikki here,” answered Black Cat kwami and pointed on his pillow. “I can share my energy with her. I just need another Camembert. You could share YOUR energy and try to keep him warmer. Tomorrow morning all of us must be fit to fight. This could REALLY help.”  
  
“Fine Plagg,” smirked Marinette. “On your word.”  
  
“Just don’t name it after me!” mumbled kwami silently, when he thought that Marinette was out of earshot. He did not know, how wrong he was.  
  
Marinette’s ears were red like her Ladybug costume, but she quickly returned with both Tikki and Camembert. Girl placed her kwami on pillow next to Plagg, who almost sucked stinky cheese. Marinette herself sneaked under Adrien’s comforter and she snuggled up to him.  
  
Adrien half woke up and hugged her back, kissing her forehead just to faint again. On the other hand, his breathing became deeper and calmer. Marinette wanted to enjoy the moment, but she fell asleep literally in a minute…  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
А в кипящих котлах прежних боен и смут .................................. In the boiling pots of past battles and wars  
Столько пищи для маленьких наших мозгов!...............................So much food for our tiny brains  
Мы на роли предателей, трусов, иуд ...........................................To the roles of betrayers and cowards  
В детских играх своих назначали врагов......................................In our childish games were our enemies named  
  
И злодея следам............................................................................Villian's footprints weren't even  
Не давали остыть,..........................................................................Allowed to cool  
И прекраснейших дам...................................................................And to most beautiful women  
Обещали любить; ..........................................................................We promised amour  
  
И, друзей успокоив .......................................................................Having calmed our friends worries  
И ближних любя,............................................................................And our families loved  
Мы на роли героев.........................................................................To the roles of the heroes  
Вводили себя..................................................................................We lead ourselves on.  
  
Только в грёзы нельзя насовсем убежать:......................................But we can't always run to the dreams in our heads  
Краткий век у забав — столько боли вокруг!..................................Short the century for fun - mostly pain lives on  
Попытайся ладони у мёртвых разжать...........................................Try to pry open the palms of the dead  
И оружье принять из натруженных рук. ........................................And receive a weapon from their strained arms.  
  
Испытай, завладев .........................................................................And distinuish, acquired  
Ещё тёплым мечом .........................................................................A sword from the hearth  
И доспехи надев, — .......................................................................Put on metal attire  
Что почём, что почём!.....................................................................What's it worth? What's it worth?  
  
Разберись, кто ты: трус...................................................................Find out - you a coward?  
Иль избранник судьбы —................................................................Or one chosen by fate  
И попробуй на вкус ........................................................................See a glimpse of your power  
Настоящей борьбы. ........................................................................Give real battles a taste.  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
“Pound it!” said together Monkey Queen, aka Sabine and Beauceron, aka Tom.  
  
Volpina escaped again, but she got good thrashing from Sabine, when Tom acted as hunting beater.  
  
“Maybe they allow us do this for fun more often,” said Monkey Queen. “I really appreciated that time…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Gabriel returned to his almost empty house, still being Hawkmoth.  
  
“So, did you find Fu, sir?” asked Nathalie.  
  
“I did,” answered Gabriel, but shook his head. “He said me something I just need to process. Was anybody trying to spy on us or trespass into house?”  
  
“Nobody,” answered his assistant. “Should I transform into Mayura again?”  
  
“Not now,” Hawkmoth shook his head again. “It’s too risky to use Peacock Miraculous too long time. I don’t want lost you. Better use the time for short nap. But we should switch on all the automatic defense systems. I believe, they’ll come in morning hours…”  
  
XXXXXXX  
  
Shutters on the windows…  
Chains upon the door…  
Sleepless nights spent waiting for an answer…  
Dreams of Heaven falling…  
Panic in the town…  
Lonely man with fingers on the future…  
  
(excerpt from “Follow on” by Paul Brady, best interpretation Lisa Kelly in “Celtic Woman – Believe”)  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
